Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijyan said here on Monday that his government would take strict action against the drug ‘mafia.’ He said the State had high rate of drug consumption, which would endanger the well-being of society.
Inaugurating a State-level function organised by the Excise Department to mark the International Anti-Drugs Day, the Chief Minister said the State government would initiate strong action against drug peddlers. Special events such as DJ parties that allegedly promoted consumption of drugs would be brought under surveillance, he said adding that officials who were found to be helping the drug mafia would face harsh action.
Mr.Vijayan said while the government’s stand on liquor emphasised abstinence owing to many reasons, it would show zero-tolerance towards drugs. He called for vigil on the part of the larger community to ensure elimination of drug peddlers, who were now enticing even schoolchildren to be carriers so as to shield the sale of drugs from the watch of enforcers. The ‘Vimukthi’ drive launched under the leadership of the Excise Department should be turned into a people’s movement, he said.
He said the government would also start district-level de-addiction centres. As many as 10 government hospitals in the State had been identified for starting the centres as a joint initiative of the Health Department and the Vimukti Mission, he said. Observing that drug addiction in the State was now at an alarming stage, he said huge rackets were working in cities. Even social media platforms were being used for peddling drugs, he added.
Ports Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran presided over the function.
Excise Commissioner Rishi Raj Singh, in his address, said the Excise Department had over the past one year seized and destroyed 300 tonnes of drugs and psychotropic substances. There was 400 to 600 % increase in the number of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, he said.
Health Minister K.K. Shylaja, MPs P.K. Sreemathy and K.K. Ragesh, MLAs Sunny Joseph, C. Krishnan and T.V. Rajesh, District Collector Mir Mohammed Ali, Kannur Corporation Mayor E.P. Latha and district panchayat president K.V. Sumesh were among those present. The CD of Vimukthi’s theme song was released by singer Ramesh Narayanan.
