As part of a wide campaign against alcoholism, the excise department will organise programmes like street plays, film shows and road shows throughout the district till January next year.
Excise Deputy Commissioner Thomas K. Abraham said the programmes started on October 2 will continue this month as an intensive programme with an awareness campaign being organised in schools and a poster-design competition to be held for the general public. “The poster selected will be used for the campaign period till next year depending on its quality,” he said.
The Alcoholics Anonymous will organise the road show, film shows and awareness campaigns among the public. He said that school children will be involved in the awareness campaign. Seminars, debates and elocution competitions will be held at the educational institutions. The campaign in schools will avoid the exam months of February and March. An important highlight of the programme is the public staging of a half-an-hour street play staged by the staff of the excise department for which rehearsals have started, he said.
According to Mr. Abraham, although the consumption of alcohol has increased, there was a crackdown on illicit brewing of the arrack in the district. This, he said, was achieved due to the public awareness campaign and continues raiding on the illicit brewing centres.
However, liquor entering the border continues to be a menace, he said, adding that the excise department has strengthened monitoring on the check post and corridors through which the spirit is being carried on head loads.
Magic show
Magician Muthukad held campaign programmes against alcoholism on school premises and public places in the district as part of a State-wide campaign with the support of the excise department. The campaign started on October 17 and concluded on Wednesday.
