The anti-narcotic campaign being kicked off on October 2 will be a continuous activity, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
The Government will evaluate the first phase of the campaign till November 1 and plan the follow-up action, he said, while addressing an all-party meeting called on organising an anti-narcotic drive here on Tuesday.
Anti-narcotic awareness programmes will be strengthened in schools, where an adequate number of counsellors will be deployed. Parents and teachers will also be roped in for awareness programmes so that they are sensitised to the behavioural changes in children. The campaign will also be taken to the guest workers, where counselling will be carried out in their vernacular.
The involvement of enforcement forces such as the police, excise and narcotic cells are being strengthened. The law is already stringent on the punishments that will be meted out to those engaged in narcotic trade. A data bank on those getting caught in narcotic cases is being prepared. The old cases will be pulled up and submitted to the court if a person is newly found to be the accused in a narcotics case. The Government has also decided to enact a law along the likes of KAAPA to deal with narcotic cases.
As part of the campaign increased vigil against narcotic substances will be maintained at border checkposts and railway stations. The contact details of enforcement officials will be displayed in schools and shops so that people can pass on any information. The details of all informants will be kept under wraps. The CM suggested that there should be increased vigil regarding outsiders who enter school campuses. More de-addiction centres will be set up in the Government sector, he said.
It was pointed out at the meeting that the number of narcotic cases have gone up. Synthetic drug use has gone up amongst the youth, regardless of gender. Strengthening enforcement alone will not cut it. Anti narcotic campaign can be successful only with the wholehearted involvement of the public, Mr. Vijayan said.
Residents’ Associations, clubs, libraries, Kudumbasree and all such popular outfits should be part of the fight against narcotics. Anti-narcotic campaign committees have already been formed at school and local body-level and at the State-level and the representation of all political parties and important persons from various walks of life will be ensured in the committees. The month-long campaign was explained in detail at the meeting
Excise Minister M. B. Rajesh, Chief Secretary V.P. Joy, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) V. Venu, State Police Chief Anil Kant, ADGP Vijay Sakhare, Excise Commissioner Anantha Krishnan and Law Secretary V. Hari Nair were present at the meeting, apart from the representatives of all political parties in the State.
