THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise department will launch a portal to facilitate anonymous reporting of narcotic activities, guiding addicts to de-addiction centres and to rear a column of volunteers, who will act as eyes and ears of the excise sleuths. “The work of the portal is in the final stage. It will be officially rolled out within 10 days,” said an excise source.
Named ‘Mayangilla Keralam’, the portal will have details of all the registered counsellors in the state, whose services can be availed by booking them through the site.
The counsellors, who work in the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations, can be contacted through the portal for those who require their service to tide over mental distress mostly arising due to substance abuse.
“More than 1,000 counsellors will be enlisted. They will also be given additional training to handle drug abuse-related matters,” the source said.
For those, who want to break away from drug abuse, de-addiction treatment in Vimukthi centres can be booked via the portal. There will be an additional facility to help the public provide tip-offs to the anti-narcotic agency regarding drug peddling without compromising their anonymity.
Another important feature of the portal will be the provision for the public to register as volunteers to help the excise sleuths in its combat against drugs. Any individual above 18 years and without any criminal antecedents can become a volunteer. The portal can be accessed by using a passkey to ensure confidentiality of the user, the source added.
“It’s for the first time such a portal is being launched in India. The portal is being built on four pillars of enforcement, awareness, de-addiction and rehabilitation,” the source added.
Anonymous reporting
‘Mayangilla Keralam’ portal will facilitate anonymous reporting of narcotic activities, guiding addicts to de-addiction centres and to rear a column of volunteers, who will act as eyes and ears of the excise sleuths. It will be rolled within 10 days
