Kerala CM calls for ward-level vigilance committees to combat synthetic drug abuse
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon various voluntary organisations and residents forums in Kerala to form ward-level vigilance committees to intensify surveillance measures against synthetic drug abuse.
In his online address after launching the 'Two Million Pledge' anti-drug campaign organised by the Kozhikode district panchayat here on Thursday to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Chief Minister said synthetic drug abuse was continuing to be one of the prime reasons for the rapid increase in crimes and the breakdown of the social life of the youth.
Mr. Vijayan pointed out that it was the responsibility of the society to save the worst-affected segments from the threat through possible social interventions. 'In our fight against this evil, we should get the support of all people from all sections along with the ongoing legal actions under the leadership of various enforcement agencies,' he said.
Explaining the role of local administrators and local communities in taking forward the State government's fight against drug trafficking, he said there should be more vigil on the part of the local communities in passing timely alerts to the enforcement agencies about the suspicious drug-trafficking activities. He also called upon the public to support the ongoing rehabilitation measures for the drug addicts under the State government's Vimukti Mission scheme.
Mass oath
Later, Minister for Public Works and Tourism P.A. Mohammed Riyas administered a mass oath-taking ceremony against substance abuse at an offline event held at Kozhikode Town Hall.
District panchayat authorities said two million people, including students, members of various voluntary organisations and local administrators, took part in the oath-taking sessions from different parts of the district.
Programme coordinators said arrangements had been made in over 40,000 centres across the district to make the awareness initiative a notable event under the district panchayat's continuing interventions against substance abuse. Cultural programmes were also part of the mass awareness programme arranged with the participation of people's representatives, local administrators and members of various socio-cultural organisations.
District panchayat president Sheeja Sasi presided over the inaugural function. Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, District Police Chief (Kozhikode city) T. Narayanan and District panchayat vice president P. Gavas were also among the key speakers at the event which was webcast live on the District panchayat's YouTube channel 'PTALK'.
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