Patiala, May 7 -- Over one year into Punjab government's Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, a majority of the state's 53 government-run de-addiction centres are bursting at the seams, with a surge in admissions straining their capacity. Launched in March last year, the anti-drug campaign is built around a three-pronged Enforcement, De-addiction and Prevention (EDP) strategy to combat drug trafficking, with police stepping up action against peddlers and users alike. Amid the focus on rehabilitation and reintegration, those held for possession of small quantities of narcotics are being routed to treatment centres under Section 64-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which grants immunity from prosecution if addicts voluntarily seek de-addiction treatment. Consequently, according to data procured from the Punjab health department, nearly 1,600 inmates are undergoing treatment in the 53 centres across Punjab currently, against a total sanctioned bed strength of approximately 1,850, resulting in crowding. The data reveals that an average of 250-300 inmates are being admitted across these centres every week, outpacing the infrastructure and creating a widening supply-demand gap. For instance, at the government de-addiction centre in Patiala's Saket Hospital, 47 patients are admitted against a sanctioned bed strength of 35. "We have added extra beds in whatever vacant space is available in the hospital. But now, we have no more room left," said an official at the hospital. "Around 50-60% patients here were brought in under Section 64-A. Though they have technically sought treatment voluntarily, many do so primarily to avoid prosecution," the official added. A similar situation prevails in Hoshiarpur, where a centre with a capacity of 100 beds is handling nearly 170 patients. To meet the demand, the centre has requisitioned 70 beds through a social organisation. In Moga, the situation is even more stretched, with 254 patients admitted against a capacity of just 100 beds. Confirming the cramped situation, Dr Sandeep Bhola, state program officer, said the government was attempting to manage it through institutional tie-ups. "Government de-addiction centres have roped in NGOs and nursing colleges, where patients can be referred if the numbers exceed capacity. With these arrangements, we can scale up the total capacity to around 5,000," Bhola said. He acknowledged concerns regarding safety, particularly with patients admitted under legal provisions. "Some incidents have been reported, but they are few. We are working to strengthen safety measures at these centres," he added. Meanwhile, employeesworking at these facilities say the burden on staff has increased significantly, raising concerns about both safety and working conditions. Parminder Singh, state president of the De-addiction Employees' Union Punjab, said, "While inmates have been admitted beyond sanctioned capacity, the government has not increased the support staff, compounding workload." He added that frontline workers continued to face risks due to inadequate security arrangements. "Employees are risking their lives because of the lack of proper security measures. Despite this, our services have neither been regularised nor have we received any wage hike," he said....