Launch Event
On Monday, a day before Gandhi Jayanti, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala launched the second phase of the state’s flagship anti‑narcotics mission, Operation Toofan, under the name Toofan Thaddesham. The inauguration took place at Malabar College in Vengara, Malappuram, where the Toofan flag was hoisted and participants were declared “Toofan Warriors”. Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty presided over the function, Local Self‑Government Minister K.M. Shaji delivered the welcome address, and Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director of the Local Self‑Government Department, administered the anti‑drug pledge.
Programme Structure
Toofan Thaddesham is organised on two tiers to ensure the anti‑drug campaign reaches every household. The first tier comprises Toofan Jagratha Samithis – a total of 1,034 committees, one for each of Kerala’s 941 gram panchayats, 87 municipalities and 6 corporations. Each committee is chaired by the elected head of the local body (panchayat president, municipal chairperson or mayor) and includes the local Station House Officer, the local body secretary and other elected representatives. Their mandate is to plan, coordinate and monitor anti‑drug activities within their jurisdiction.
The second tier consists of Toofan Janasabhas at the ward level. Every ward will host a people’s assembly led by the ward member or councillor and will bring together residents, enrolled Toofan Warriors, Kudumbashree members, ASHA workers, Haritha Karma Sena members, rural‑employment‑scheme workers, residents’ associations and local volunteers. These assemblies are tasked with delivering the anti‑drug message to every family, conducting awareness sessions, and maintaining vigilant neighbourhood watch. Ward volunteers will receive audio‑visual training covering five modules: medical, social and economic harms of drugs; rehabilitation; and legal and safety aspects.
Implementation Details
On the ground, Janasabhas will organise awareness classes with doctors and police officers, conduct follow‑up programmes in schools, hold special PTA meetings, and convene neighbourhood group meetings. They will also monitor schools and residential areas and assist individuals struggling with addiction by linking them to rehabilitation and palliative‑care centres.
Review Mechanism
Each ward‑level committee and local‑body committee will submit a performance review every month. The state government will collate these reports and conduct a comprehensive review on a quarterly basis to assess progress and address gaps.
Objective
The overarching goal, as articulated by Minister Chennithala, is to transform every Keralite into a “Toofan Warrior” and to make Kerala a lahari‑mukta desham, a drug‑free land. The initiative emphasizes the pivotal role of mothers and women, citing their unique position to notice early signs of drug abuse in children. By embedding the anti‑drug effort within the Gram Swaraj framework, the programme aims to make each ward the first line of defence against narcotics.