Kochi: In the wake of rising cases of drug seizures, the Ernakulam Rural Police has initiated a massive exercise to set up Anti-Narcotic clubs in all 1369 panchayat wards of the district to take action at the grassroot level. “Each club will have four members headed by a personnel of the local police station and includes the respective ward member. The respective Sub-Inspectors will monitor the functioning of the clubs in their jurisdiction and ensure action on complaints being forwarded by them mainly on anti-social activities like drug abuse,” said A V George, Superintendent of Police, Ernakulam Rural.
The cops have already started talks with 84 grama panchayats and formation of the first of the clubs will be initiated in a week’s time. “The massive exercise will be completed before March. The panchayats will suggest two members from each ward to be included in the club,” the officer said. Despite a decline in crime cases, those lodged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act related to the sale and use of various drugs have seen a spike.
The Excise and police departments had conducted a special drive from September 5 to October 31 last. A total of 2,200 raids were carried out. A total of 80 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were registered which revealed the intensity of the issue. The cops have also decided to deploy sniffer dogs at Aluva railway station which has become the transit hub of drugs and banned tobacco products. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam Rural Police released a short film Vazhikatti aimed at spreading public awareness against the drug abuse menace in educational institutions.
