Ruling CPI(M) to open de-addiction centre to fight drug abuse

Thiruvananthapuram: After its successful drive for organic vegetables and palliative care, the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is foraying into yet another campaign, this time against liquor and intoxicating drugs. The left party is opening a new de-addiction and counselling centre in its stronghold Kannur, the politically volatile northern district, as part of its large-scale goal to cement its grassroots level support.

The Centre is envisaged as a platform to help people recover from the addiction to abusive substances through scientific treatment and counselling. The opening of the party-sponsored de-addiction centre assumes significance in the wake of the LDF government drawing flak over its new liquor policy which facilitated reopening of some of the closed bars by the previous UDF government.

The declared liquor policy of the LDF is abstinence while the Congress-led UDF advocates total prohibition in a phased manner. Located at Thazhe Chovva in the district, the Centre is coming under the aegis of the party-led ‘Initiative of Rehabilitation and Palliative Care (IRPC).’

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate the centre at a function tomorrow, CPI(M) Kannur district Secretary P Jayarajan said. Detailing the significance of the move, he said the abuse of the contraband substance is on the rise causing alarm.

“Various kinds of new intoxicating substances are flooding the market attracting teenagers and youths. So, it is the need of the hour to check this social evil, from destroying our individuals, families and society, through people’s movement,” Jayarajan said in a Facebook post.

The party strongman said the IRPC has already been indulging in several awareness programmes against drug abuse and the new centre is an extension of the initiative. With an aim to reach out to common people and strengthen its grassroots level base, the ruling CPI(M) has launched several initiatives ranging from organic vegetable cultivation to palliative care.

The state-wide drive promoting organic vegetables under the title ‘Jaiva Jeevitham’ had been a huge success. The left party is also planning to open 1000 outlets of organic vegetables across the state during the coming ‘Vishu’ festival season. The party volunteers have also built houses for poor, cleaned polluted water bodies and taken up waste management drives in various parts of the state to reach out to the masses.