Sikkim to launch surprise drug tests for govt staff, CM warns of instant dismissal

A major crackdown on drug use among government employees is underway in Sikkim, with Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announcing that surprise drug tests will be conducted across all departments. Any employee found using drugs will be immediately dismissed from service, he warned.

“There will be no place in public service for anyone who endangers society through drug abuse,” the chief minister said during a state-level event in Gangtok on Wednesday, marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The announcement was part of a broader strategy aimed at tackling the state's growing struggle with substance abuse. Speaking at Manan Kendra, Tamang said the move was necessary to ensure “accountability and integrity within the government system.”

The event, organised by the Social Welfare Department, was attended by Speaker MN Sherpa, Deputy Speaker Raskumari Thapa, Social Welfare Minister Sanjeet Lepcha, senior officials, educators, NGOs, volunteers, and students.

Tamang described drug abuse as a threat embedded within communities, not a distant issue. “Substance abuse is not a distant problem—it is here, in our homes, in our neighbourhoods, endangering our future,” he said.

He called for collective action involving families, schools, enforcement agencies, and local organisations to fight the crisis, urging young people to choose healthier paths and assuring support for those seeking rehabilitation.

“This is not merely a government programme. It is a people's movement that requires sustained awareness, compassion, and unified action,” Tamang said, encouraging the public to treat the issue as a shared responsibility.

The administration’s zero-tolerance stance comes as part of its broader goal to make Sikkim a drug-free state, with enforcement, awareness, and rehabilitation forming key pillars of the initiative.