Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday said that the state government employees will be terminated from service if found under the influence of drugs at the workplace.

Speaking at a function held on the occasion of 'International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking', Tamang expressed concern with substance abuse and said that it has a far-reaching impact on the state, the nation and the world.

"Any government employee found under the influence of drugs at the workplace will be directly terminated from service without any leniency," he said.

The CM said that surprise checks will be carried out in various departments and employees suspected of drug use will be tested. If found guilty, the user will be terminated from service immediately, he said.

Tamang stressed on the importance of collaborative efforts from government, communities, and individuals to address this complex issue.

The Sikkim CM urged citizens to involve themselves in promoting a sense of personal responsibility, in order to create a supportive environment that fosters positive change and helps individuals struggling with substance abuse.

He lauded Sikkim Police for sustained efforts in investigating and taking action against drug-related crime, which is vital in creating a drug-free state.

Tamang said the state government has taken several steps to prevent substance abuse, such as regular awareness drives across communities, increased rehabilitation admissions, appointment of nodal officers in every department and 'drug-free cells' in offices to be extended to schools in the future.

Promotion of sports, arts and cultural activities to engage youth positively, active outreach by volunteers and peer educators to remote areas, SCERT's 'Nawa Chetna Module' empowering anti-drug cells in schools and strong enforcement by police in curbing trafficking are some measures which the state government has taken to prevent drug abuse, Tamang added.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.