Himachal DGP Ashok Tewari Urges SJVN Employees to Join Anti-Chitta Campaign, Calls for Collective Action Against Drugs
Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Ashok Tewari has urged officers and employees of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) to actively participate in the state’s Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan, calling for a coordinated public effort to combat drug abuse and trafficking. Addressing employees at SJVN headquarters during Vigilance Awareness Week 2026, the senior IPS officer stressed that police enforcement alone cannot resolve the problem and that families, educational institutions, workplaces and local communities must work together.
Tewari encouraged SJVN employees to become ambassadors of the anti-drug campaign by spreading awareness among young people, supporting individuals affected by addiction and sharing information about suspected drug trafficking with law enforcement agencies. He emphasised that sustained public participation is essential to building a drug-free environment across Himachal Pradesh.
His appeal also highlighted the role of public-sector organisations in extending awareness initiatives beyond government departments and into workplaces, families and local communities. The message combined the need for action against drug trafficking with prevention, community engagement and support for people struggling with substance dependence.
Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan Seeks Wider Public Participation
The Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan was launched at Shimla’s Ridge on November 15, 2025, with the objective of mobilising people across Himachal Pradesh against drug abuse. The campaign seeks to make prevention a shared social responsibility rather than an issue left exclusively to the police and other enforcement agencies.
During his interaction with SJVN employees, Tewari called for greater public involvement in efforts to prevent substance abuse, particularly among young people. He stressed the importance of creating awareness about the risks associated with drug use and encouraging families and communities to participate actively in prevention efforts.
The DGP’s appeal covered several areas of public participation, including awareness campaigns, community engagement, assistance for people affected by addiction and cooperation with law enforcement agencies. He also urged employees to help promote drug-free environments in their workplaces and surrounding communities.
The key areas highlighted in his appeal included:
Awareness among young people: Encouraging informed discussions about the risks associated with drug use and helping young people recognise the dangers of substance abuse. Family and community engagement: Promoting shared responsibility among families, neighbourhoods and local organisations to prevent drug abuse.
Support for people affected by addiction: Encouraging understanding and assistance for individuals seeking to overcome substance dependence. Information-sharing with police: Reporting relevant information about suspected drug trafficking to law enforcement agencies.
Drug-free workplaces and communities: Using professional and community networks to extend awareness and prevention efforts. The emphasis on these measures reflects the campaign’s broader approach, which combines enforcement with awareness, prevention and community support.
SJVN Employees Encouraged to Become Anti-Drug Ambassadors
Tewari’s interaction with SJVN employees sought to involve the public-sector workforce in the state’s wider campaign against chitta, a term commonly used in Himachal Pradesh in discussions about illicit drugs. His message was that employees can contribute to prevention efforts through their professional responsibilities and personal connections within their communities.
SJVN’s workforce provides an opportunity to circulate awareness messages across workplaces, families and social networks. By encouraging employees to take an active role, the DGP sought to broaden the reach of the campaign and strengthen public cooperation in tackling drug abuse.
The appeal also highlighted the importance of supporting people affected by addiction. Alongside efforts to identify and report suspected trafficking, community awareness and assistance can help encourage individuals to seek support and reduce the social isolation often associated with substance dependence.
Tewari urged employees to share relevant information about suspected drug trafficking with the police. Such cooperation can complement law enforcement efforts, although any information reported must be handled through appropriate channels and assessed by the authorities.
The initiative underlines the importance of a coordinated response involving government agencies, public-sector organisations, educational institutions, families and community groups.
Himachal Pradesh’s ERSS-112 Ranking Improves to First Position
During the interaction, Tewari also highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s performance under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). According to figures cited by the DGP, the state’s national ranking improved from 34th position in November 2025 to first position.
ERSS-112 provides a common emergency response number through which members of the public can seek assistance from emergency services, including the police. The system is designed to facilitate access to emergency support and improve coordination when responding to calls for assistance.
Tewari referred to the improvement in the state’s ranking as an indicator of progress under the emergency response framework. The figures were cited during his address to SJVN employees, alongside his wider message about public participation, institutional responsibility and effective public services.
The emergency response system is an important part of the public interface between the police and citizens. Its functioning depends on the ability of people to access assistance and on the coordination of the agencies responsible for responding to emergencies.
However, the ranking figures cited by the DGP relate specifically to ERSS-112 performance and should not be interpreted as a direct measure of the state’s overall performance in tackling drug abuse.
Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 Focuses on Integrity and Transparency
Tewari delivered his address during Vigilance Awareness Week 2026, being observed from October 26 to November 1 under the theme “Probity for Prosperity.” The annual observance promotes integrity, transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in public institutions.
Emphasising the theme, the DGP highlighted the importance of preventive vigilance, transparent working practices and ethical leadership. These principles are intended to strengthen public confidence in institutions and encourage responsible conduct among officials and employees.
Preventive vigilance focuses on reducing the scope for misconduct through awareness, accountability and appropriate working procedures. Transparency and ethical leadership are also important to ensuring that public institutions carry out their responsibilities in a manner that supports public trust.
Tewari’s message linked institutional integrity with wider public responsibility. While Vigilance Awareness Week focuses on ethical conduct and accountability, his appeal for participation in the Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan extended the discussion to the role of individuals and organisations in addressing a broader social challenge. His address therefore combined two themes: the importance of integrity within institutions and the need for collective action against drug abuse.
Collective Action Needed to Address Drug Abuse in Himachal Pradesh
The DGP’s appeal to SJVN employees reflects an effort to strengthen the social reach of Himachal Pradesh’s anti-drug campaign. It recognises that drug abuse and trafficking cannot be addressed solely through police action and require cooperation across multiple sections of society.
Families can play a role in prevention by maintaining awareness and encouraging open discussions about substance abuse. Educational institutions and workplaces can help circulate reliable information, while communities can support people seeking help and share relevant information about suspected illegal activities with the authorities.
Public-sector organisations can contribute by using their existing communication networks to spread awareness and encourage responsible action. Tewari’s appeal seeks to turn these networks into an additional channel for the Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan.
The campaign’s approach places prevention and community participation alongside enforcement against trafficking. It also highlights the importance of assisting people affected by addiction rather than treating the issue exclusively as a law enforcement concern.
The extent of the campaign’s impact will depend on sustained engagement and coordination among the institutions and communities involved. Tewari’s message emphasised that such participation must continue beyond individual events or awareness programmes.
Who Is Ashok Tewari IPS?
Ashok Tewari is a 1993-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre. He holds an M.Tech degree and a Master’s in Personnel Management (MPM) from Osmania University.
Before taking additional charge as Director General of Police of Himachal Pradesh in June 2025, Tewari served as DGP of the state’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. His experience also includes central deputation as an Inspector General with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). He has also served as Managing Director of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), giving him experience in both policing and public-sector administration.
As Himachal Pradesh’s police chief, Tewari has emphasised the importance of public participation in tackling drug abuse and strengthening public trust in policing. His latest appeal to SJVN employees is part of that wider message, calling on government institutions, workplaces and communities to work together to address drug-related challenges.
The interaction at SJVN headquarters brought together the themes of public responsibility, institutional integrity and community participation. Through the Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan, the state is seeking to build a broader response to drug abuse, with Tewari urging employees to help carry the campaign into their families, workplaces and communities.
