In a significant shift in strategy to combat narcotics, the Kerala Police has proposed a new framework that could see private sector employees in the state signing a formal pledge against drug use upon joining work. The proposal, named Prevention of Drug Abuse (PODA), aims to move beyond traditional raids and seizures to implement preventive measures directly at the workplace level.
Core Measures of the PODA Proposal
The PODA initiative is built around three key requirements for companies to adopt. First, new employees would be asked to sign a written undertaking affirming abstinence from drugs as a condition of their employment. Second, employees would need to provide consent for periodic drug testing during office hours. Third, and most stringent, the proposal mandates strict disciplinary action, including potential termination, if any substance use is detected.
This strategy emerges from police findings that substance abuse is increasingly concentrated among economically independent youth aged 25 to 35, a large portion of whom work in the private sector. With steady incomes and tightly knit social circles, drug transactions and consumption often remain hidden within small groups, making detection by external law enforcement agencies exceptionally challenging.
Targeting the Demographic Reality
Police officers highlight a critical statistic: nearly 98% of individuals below the age of 30 in Kerala are employed in private enterprises. This demographic often gains disposable income at a life stage prone to social experimentation. The PODA framework is specifically designed around this reality.
The police believe that the certainty of checks and clear consequences within the workplace will have a stronger preventive impact than sporadic enforcement actions outside of it. The proposal follows the intensified anti-drug enforcement drive this year under Operation D-Hunt.
Industry Consultation and Future Vision
The Kerala Police has already held discussions with major industry bodies to build consensus. These include the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Young Indians, Group of Technology Companies (GTech), and the Kerala Management Association. According to police officials, these organizations have agreed to the idea in principle.
Senior officers argue that if major companies, especially in the IT and allied sectors, adopt PODA, it could position Kerala's private sector as a national model for employer-led drug prevention. Such leadership is expected to encourage smaller firms to follow suit. The proposal also envisages a future expansion to government institutions.
The overarching goal of PODA is to act as both a powerful deterrent and an early-warning system against the rising trend of drug use among young professionals, safeguarding the state's workforce and corporate environment.
