Punjab ministers check out anti-drone tech to combat drugs from Pak

Chandigarh: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who heads the cabinet sub-committee for the state's anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashe de Virudh', announced on Tuesday that the state police would soon be equipped with anti-drone technology to intercept transborder drug smuggling.
He was speaking at a demonstration event organised by Punjab Police at PCA Stadium, Mullanpur, where three companies from public and private sectors showcased anti-drone solutions. The event was attended by Punjab minister Aman Arora and director general of police Gaurav Yadav.
Cheema said all three companies demonstrated cutting-edge technology designed to counter drone-based cross-border smuggling of narcotics, arms, and explosives on the border with Pakistan. He mentioned that anti-drone technologies showcased included portable, mobile, and stationary solutions, each capable of intercepting drones at varying distances. He said these technologies are designed to disrupt drone movement, thus breaking the cross-border drug supply chain. He said this initiative would strengthen state govt's fight against drugs.
Cheema said Punjab Police experts, in consultation with central security agencies, would soon finalise the procurement of the most effective systems.
Arora said it was the primary responsibility of the Centre to check cross-border smuggling of drugs and arms, as the 50km area along the border fell under the jurisdiction of BSF. However, their past efforts did not yield 100% success, he said, adding that the state's initiative is to further strengthen the state's second line of defence to effectively counter the nefarious designs of cross-border terrorism, particularly narco-terrorism.