Chandigarh, Oct. 30 -- Under fire from the Opposition, the AAP on Thursday blamed successive SAD-BJP and Congress governments for drug menace and gangsterism in the state, accusing them of indulging in politics over drug-related deaths. AAP leader and cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that since coming to power, the Bhagwant Mann government had consistently acted against drug trafficking and gangsters by setting up special teams, conducting extensive raids, and arresting criminals. He said the Anti-Gangster Task Force worked to bring back criminals who fled abroad to evade the law. Citing official figures, he said 2,105 proclaimed offenders (POs) have been apprehended, while 81,499 individuals have been arrested as part of the crackdown on gangsters and crime. "The AAP government remains committed to eliminating drugs from the state and will continue taking strict action against drug traffickers, gangsters and those involved in organised crime," he added. AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu separately alleged that past governments had ignored alarming groundwater depletion and allowed Punjab's canal irrigation network to deteriorate. "As soon as the Mann government assumed office in 2022, instructions were issued to restore canal water supply on a priority basis. Today, canal water utilisation has risen to nearly 88%," he said.HTC...