Srinagar, October 28, 2025– In a strong intervention during the Zero Hour of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Vijaypur MLA Surjeet Singh Salathia sounded the alarm on the surging heroin (locally known as Chitta) addiction in Samba district, making an urgent appeal to the government to protect the youth from this deadly drug.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and seven-time legislator highlighted how Chitta – a highly addictive, low-cost form of heroin – has rapidly spread across rural and urban areas of Samba, pushing hundreds of young people into the grip of substance abuse.
“Our youth are being destroyed by this poison. Families are shattered, futures are lost,” Salathia warned,
stressing that the easy availability of the drug has fueled a public health and social crisis.
Samba, a strategically located border district, has become a transit and consumption hub for Chitta smuggled from across the Punjab border and international routes. Salathia pointed to lax border vigilance, involvement of local peddlers, as key factors driving its spread among school and college students, daily wage workers, and unemployed youth.
He demanded immediate action, including:- Intensified anti-drug operations by police and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) teams – Setting up de-addiction and rehabilitation centers in Samba –
Awareness drives in educational institutions and villages –
Strict monitoring of pharmacies and medical outlets to curb pharmaceutical drug misuse “The government must treat this as a war on drugs. Save our children before it’s too late,” Salathia urged, earning support from fellow legislators who acknowledged similar concerns in neighboring districts like Kathua and Jammu.
The MLA also linked rising petty crimes, domestic disputes, and youth suicides in Samba to drug dependency, calling for a comprehensive rehabilitation policy that includes skill training and employment opportunities for recovering addicts.
As the assembly session progresses, pressure is mounting on the administration to respond with concrete measures. Local NGOs and youth groups in Samba have welcomed the MLA’s initiative and are planning awareness marches to amplify the anti-drug campaign.
With Chitta claiming lives and futures daily, Salathia’s voice in the House has ignited hope that decisive action will finally break the drug syndicate’s hold on Samba’s youth.
