OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the elements involved in the heinous trade of adulteration in edibles and spurious medicines are a blotch on the society and people cannot be left at their mercy. Presiding over a meeting with regard to price control and the campaign against water theft, spurious medicines and Qabza mafia here on Friday, the C.M said that the government had evolved an action plan for elimination of profiteering, short-measuring, spurious medicines and adulteration as well as proceeding against Qabza Mafia and the elements involved in water theft. He said that special teams comprising elected representatives have also been established for this purpose which will be fully authorized. However, he said the target of the campaign against adulterators will not be venders or common shopkeepers but such kingpin which are the source of this evil. He said that a vigorous electronic and media campaign will be launched before the start of the drive and seminars and discussions will be arranged for promoting public awareness. Chief Minister said that though there are laws for price control and provision of adulteration-free eatables to the masses but these have not been implemented in the real sense. He said that the elements engaged in adulteration thereby playing with the lives of the people were imposed minor fines rather than sent them behind the bars due to which this business has flourished. He said that those playing with the human lives for their petty gains deserve no leniency. He said that effective measures were taken in 1997 against spurious medicines and water theft which not only resulted in eradication of spurious drugs but the water had also started reaching the tail ends of the canals. He said that Irrigation Department staff was equally involved in water theft otherwise such incidents could not occur. He said that government has decided to take vigorous action against profiteering, adulteration, spurious pesticides, water theft and qabza mafia and such evils will be rooted out with the cooperation of the people. He directed the heads of price control and the committees set up for the eradication of spurious medicines as well as adulteration and qabza groups to gird up their loins and perform their responsibilities efficiently.