India: Kerala launches first de-addiction centre for women and girls

Kochi - Centre can treat 20 inmates and caters to all kinds of addictions, including complications from failed love affairs

By Web report

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Published: Wed 23 Jun 2021, 3:13 PM

Last updated: Wed 23 Jun 2021, 3:18 PM

Kerala has launched a new action plan to integrate de-addiction schemes and inking them to the national action plan for drug demand reduction.

While the excise department has launched the Vimukti campaign to fight drug abuse, the department of social justice is implementing a plan under the Indian government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat to tackle substance abuse among the young.


Six districts including Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram will benefit from the special action plans under the central scheme.

The social justice department set its first de-addiction centre for women and girls at Karukutty in April in Ernakulam district. The centre can treat 20 inmates and caters to all kinds of addictions including drugs, alcohol and surprisingly, mobile phones. It also tackles complications from failed love affairs.


Recently, it got a 16-year-old girl for treatment for drug abuse. She was into substance abuse for five years and at the centre it took her three weeks to get rid of withdrawal symptoms. The class 7 dropout, who was from a separated family, became an addict and also a drug carrier.

Joseph Parecattil, director of the centre, told the media, that she was talented and had innate skills in crafts. "We got from her the names of 12 other potential substance abuse addicts,” said Parecattil.

“But before we could track them down, her mother started pushing for her custody though she was a long way from full recovery.”

The centre then approached the child welfare committee to retain her custody under the Juvenile Justice Act, as giving premature custody to her would result in a relapse.

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Alamy photo used for illustrative purpose
Alamy photo used for illustrative purpose

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