The Excise Department will launch a special drive in the district from December 8 to January 7 in connection with the Christmas-New Year season.
The month-long operation is aimed at preventing the brewing and selling of spurious liquor during the Christmas-New Year festival season that starts from mid December and extends well beyond January.
Intensified checks
Checks would be intensified with the participation of the public, officials said.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by District Collector C.A. Latha here.
Additional District Magistrate K. Radhakrishnan, Assistant Excise Commissioner S.T. Raphael, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Narcotics Cell) C. Aravindakshan, participated in the meeting.
A 24-hour district control room would function at the divisional office.
There would also be striking forces at the three taluks, officials said.
Special squads would be constituted for carrying out surprise checks.
Patrolling and checking of vehicles would be strengthened during the drive, they said.
Intelligence gathering
Steps were already being initiated to gather intelligence required to carry out the drive.
Habitual offenders were also under the scanner of the department.
Preventive steps
The meeting also decided to summon panchayat-level committees for taking preventive steps against the distribution or sale of illegal liquor in rural regions.
A general opinion was aired regarding the active participation of the panchayat authorities to curb the illegal liquor menace.
As per this, the district administration would send letters to all the grama panchayat secretaries to keep a better watch on the ground scene.
Spurious liquor
Excise officials also decided to identify potential areas in Kozhikode district that could be used for the brewing of spurious liquor.
A joint raid by the police, Forest, Revenue, and Tribal Departments would be carried out in places so identified, officials said.
Stringent measures would be adopted at the Azhiyoor check post to prevent the smuggling of liquor from Mahe.
Flow of liquor
The flow of bottled liquor from the Union Territory usually increases during festivals such as Onam, Christmas, and New Year.
The meeting also pointed out utilising the Clean Campus-Safe Campus project, a State government initiative to curb substance abuse in schools. This was being planned for the month-long operation period.
