Various projects, campaigns kicked off in the state on Kerala Day

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF government launched digital resurvey of land, and campaigns like the anti-drugs drive to celebrate the Kerala Day on Tuesday, to mark the state's formation from the then Madras state 65 years ago.

The Congress-led UDF opposition also kicked off an anti-drug campaign on the occasion. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Revenue department's digital resurvey project, called 'Ente Bhoomi' (my land), which aims to identify and provide plots to over three lakh landless families in the state.

He said the survey was pending for a long time and now it was going to be completed using the latest technology and the records would be digitised for easy access of the public.

''As part of the project, of the 1,666 villages in the state, a digital survey of around 1,550 is expected to be completed in the next four years,'' the CM said while speaking at the event held here. He also said there are a handful of people in every department, including the Revenue, who do not conform to the rules and regulations and act contrary to the same, leading to the public being not provided proper service.

''Such a handful of individuals should not be protected. The government stand should be to ensure that such individuals are not part of the department,'' he said at the event.

Earlier in the day, he had made a similar remark regarding police officers and personnel who are not adhering to discipline as well as rules and regulations of the force. Later in the day, he also inaugurated the state-level Malayalam day celebrations here.

At the event, he spoke about the various steps being taken by the government to increase the use of Malayalam in the state. In the afternoon, Vijayan inaugurated the state-level 'anti-drug chain' campaign as part of the government's efforts against use of drugs in the state.

In his address, the CM said the drug mafia was targeting school and college students and that is why the anti-drugs drive was focused on educational institutions in the last one month. Police and Excise officials have been working hard and taking all necessary steps against the menace of drugs and those engaged in its sale and distribution in the state, he said.

He expressed hope everyone would come together and make the anti-drug chain strong. Vijayan further said the next phase of the anti-drugs drive in the state would commence on November 14.

The Congress-led UDF also kicked off an anti-drug campaign -- Wake up Kerala -- on the occasion of Kerala day. Speaking at an event in Kochi where he inaugurated the campaign, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said the LDF government decided to take steps against the menace of drugs only after the UDF raised the issue in the state Assembly.

He said drug abuse was a huge menace in the state and also responsible for various brutal crimes and violent activities and urged all UDF members and workers to take the campaign forward in coordination with the authorities and the public from the ground level.

Satheesan also accused local level CPI(M) workers or members of knowingly and unknowingly allowing drug-related activities to take place in their areas and urged the Left party to put a stop to it.

''We all need to work together against this menace,'' he said. On the occasion of Kerala Day, Satheesan, in a Facebook post, urged everyone to work tirelessly to protect the state's secular values and to also love, respect and treat each other as human beings.

''Rivers can be made free of garbage. We can find solution to the coastal problems. The soil, forest and Dalit/ adivasi brothers can be given special consideration. A huge wall can be raised against drugs and other addictions. May good words, good thoughts and good dreams be in Malayalam. Let us love our language,'' he said in his post on the occasion.

BJP state president K Surendran also put up a post on his Facebook page wishing Kerala Day to everyone.