The Excise department will launch a special drive in the district to prevent the sale of illegal spirit and drugs and to check the production and sale of illegal liquor during the Onam festival.
The Excise Commissioner will oversee the special drive until September 20.
Patrolling by the Kerala Excise Mobile Intervention Unit (KEMU) will be intensified along the roads bordering Tamil Nadu in Chittur taluk. Strike forces will be in operation in three zones under the leadership of an Excise Inspector. One strike force will be in the Ottapalam-Mannarkkad area, the second in the Palakkad-Chittur-Alathur area, and the third one will be in Attappady.
Lightning squad
A district-level lightning squad will function under the leadership of one Excise Circle Inspector until the special drive is over.
Toddy shops and other licensed shops will be under enhanced surveillance during the period. There will be combined combing operations with the Railway Protection Force, Police, Revenue and Forest personnel.
Excise officers will join hands with the Police Dog Squad to scour railway stations, parcel and courier service centres and check posts. Special raids will be carried out at Agali and Chittur. Coconut plantations at Chittur will be examined by squads headed by the Joint Excise Commissioner and the Deputy Excise Commissioner.
Inter-State meeting
Deputy Excise Commissioner V. Robert said here that an inter-State meeting would be convened to prevent the movement of spurious liquor. He said those accused in Excise cases earlier would be under watch.
