THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government’s extensive campaign to raise public resistance against drugs will begin on Thursday. The first phase of the campaign will last till November 1, Kerala Piravi Day.
The inauguration ceremony will be held in all educational institutions including professional colleges in the state, major centres and libraries in wards with elaborate programmes. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the programme via online and his speech will be telecast live on KITE Victers channel.
Each centre has a system to screen the speech. People’s representatives, organisations, associations, representatives and artistic talents will participate in the programmes at each centre. Local Self-Government and Excise Minister M B Rajesh will officiate at the Thrissur district-level inauguration at Guruvayur Rukmini Regency auditorium. The minister urged every Malayali to join hands in this great fight of the state against drugs.
Former Indian cricket team captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is the brand ambassador of the campaign. People’s committees have been formed from state level to ward and school levels as part of anti-drug programmes. The CM and ministers had held discussions with various political parties, religious and community organisations, traders, youth and student organisations, teacher-employee organisations and media houses to make the campaign a success. All organisations have extended their full support. The inauguration scheduled for October 2 was postponed following the demise of former minister and CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
The first phase of the anti-drug campaign will end on November 1. At 3pm, a wide human network will be organised with the participation of the public at schools. Recitation of oath and symbolic burial of intoxicants will be a part of the programme, which will be held at the main centre in wards where there are no schools. People’s representatives and celebrities will participate at each centre. For the promotion of the project, a procession with extensive participation will be organised on October 30 and 31.