The District Development Committee (DDC) has decided to intensify anti-drug activities in Kollam and launch extensive programmes to spread awareness.
Excise and Police departments will be leading the campaign and public meetings will be held from October 2 to November 1. While surveillance has been strengthened in coastal and border areas, a special enforcement drive will also be conducted in schools and colleges till October 5. Help of Food Safety Department will be sought to detect the presence of narcotic substances in food items. Selected teachers will be trained for the ‘Yodhav’ project, which aims to prevent drug use among students.
According to Police and Excise officials, street plays, awareness classes and workshops are being conducted in educational institutions to prevent substance abuse.
Speaking at the DDC meeting, Kovoor Kunjumon, MLA, demanded to expedite the anti-rabies vaccination drive and start ABC shelters at district, block and local body level. Issues including the disbursal of compensation to farmers who suffered crop damage due to the rains, maintenance of roads and bridges, construction of Sasthamcotta mini civil station and excise complex, and the timely completion of land acquisition for the construction of Mynagappally railway flyover, were also discussed. C.R. Mahesh, MLA, said an emergency meeting should be convened to assess the progress of Karunagappally-Kunnathur drinking water project. He also pointed out the need to restore suspended KSRTC services, axe trees posing danger and implement garbage disposal measures.
The shortage of doctors at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital and unregulated mining at the quarries in Chitara panchayat were also brought to the attention of DDC. Land acquisition for the construction of Pathanapuram-Kallumkadavu bypass, construction of flyover at Avaneeswaram railway cross and construction of Chavara Fire Force building were the other issues raised. The representative of P.S. Supal, MLA, said that arrangements as per the study report should be implemented for the safety of the road from Punalur KSRTC stand to Challimukku. Sub Collector Chetan Kumar Meena, ADM R. Beenarani, District Planning Officer P.J. Amina and district level officials attended the meeting.
