Ganderbal, June 6 -- Under the sweeping canopy of the majestic Chinar trees along the banks of the Sindh at Qamriya Park in Ganderbal, scores gathered on Friday to take a solemn pledge to stand united against drug addiction and shield the next generation. Since morning, people from across Ganderbal, including remote villages of the home constituency of chief minister Omar Abdullah, poured in to join the padyatra (foot march) led by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. As Sinha arrived, the crowd stood to wave in appreciation, setting the tone for the final leg of a campaign that has traversed all 10 districts of the Kashmir division. Breaking the nexus The administration backed its rhetoric with hard enforcement data from the past 55 days. To break the region's drug nexus, the authorities have registered 1,036 first information reports, arrested 1,128 drug smugglers, and attached more than 100 properties belonging to traffickers. Nearly 700 driving licences have been cancelled, and recommendations have been made to invalidate the passports of 130 smugglers. Alongside enforcement, over 50,000 awareness programmes were organised across the Union Territory. "Fifty-five days ago, from the soil of Jammu, I declared that enough is enough," Sinha told the crowd, which nodded in unison when asked if firm action was being felt on the ground. "What began as a war against drugs and narco-terrorism has now ignited into a true people's movement-born of courage, sustained by spirit, and driven by the collective will of ordinary citizens," the Lieutenant Governor said. He described the crisis not merely as routine crime, but as a direct threat to national security and societal survival. "The narco-terrorists, whether sitting in neighbouring countries or operating inside Jammu and Kashmir, are enemies of our people," Sinha warned. "They fund terrorism with their black money. Let me make this clear: They will have to pay a heavy price. Their networks will be dismantled, one by one." He urged students to act as guardians of their campuses and promised a dual approach: Absolute exhaustion of the trafficking networks, alongside compassionate rehabilitation for victims. "Through treatment, counselling, and new employment opportunities, we are opening doors to bring them back to the mainstream," he said. The marchers carried placards and the Tricolour, claiming ownership of the campaign. "My participation is a message to drug peddlers that the people have decided to end this menace," said Yar Mohammad, who travelled from Waliwar village in Kangan. Zeenat, a Class 9 student from Government High School, Zanitar, echoed the sentiment: "Our future is at stake. It is the duty of every young boy and girl to play their role." The Nasha Mukt J&K Padyatra drew support from civil society groups, including the Save Youth Save Future Foundation, which participated in every district leg from the launch in Srinagar to the finale in Ganderbal. "Having witnessed decades of conflict, we understand the importance of safeguarding the younger generation from emerging challenges," Foundation chairman Wajahat Farooq Bhat said. "It was encouraging to see parents, teachers, sportspersons, and religious scholars come together. The best part of this initiative is that it has grown beyond a government programme and evolved into a genuine social revolution."...