Kerala ministers to visit UAE, Saudi, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait to collect flood relief fund

coastaldigest.com news network

September 2, 2018

Newsroom, Sept 2: In a massive resource mobilisation drive to generate funds for the post-flood relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction programme, the state government of Kerala is reaching out across the world.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan believes that the large Malayali diaspora in various countries will play a role in rebuilding the flood-raved state.

The Loka Kerala Sabha, a government-sponsored platform for expatriate Malayalis, would seek to mobilise the diaspora for the world-wide campaign, along with other Malayali associations.

State Ministers and senior officials would visit countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Germany, the US, and Canada to seek funds from non-resident Keralites and other communities. Simultaneously, efforts would be made to tap Malayalis in other States as well as within Kerala.

The Cabinet meeting recently nominated Ministers to head the resource mobilisation campaign in each district. They would visit the districts from September 13 to 15 and receive contributions from individuals, institutions, and organisations. Prior to the campaign, District Collectors would convene a meeting of Heads of Departments.

Senior officials in the rank of Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary would participate in the consultation.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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