Chandigarh, June 27 -- With the drugs menace spreading into the hinterland steadily, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that joint task forces (JTF) will be constituted in both rural and urban areas across the state to break the drug distribution network and "prevent drug abuse".

In rural areas, the JTF will comprise of sarpanches, ward members, block development officers (BDOs), station house officers (SHOs) and representatives of NGOs working in the area. In urban areas, the task force will have municipal secretaries, ward councillors, and NGO representatives.

"These task forces will identify locations where drugs are being sold and ensure strict action against drug peddlers," Saini said, adding that JTF will func...