What the Events Entail

Karnataka Temperance Conference and Kerala Police Project: Security Implications Under UAPA and NIA Act

The Karnataka State Temperance Board will host a state‑level “Addiction‑Free Day” conference on 1 August at the Agriculture College auditorium in Bheemarayanagudi, Shahapur, marking the birth anniversary of Vijay Mahant Swami. In parallel, the Kerala government’s decision to continue the “Punyam Poonkavanam” initiative at Sabarimala, despite a 2025 Kerala High Court order, has raised questions about the legal limits of police‑run social programmes. Both episodes illuminate how substance‑abuse and community‑driven interventions intersect with India’s internal‑security architecture.

The Karnataka gathering aims to mobilise government departments, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, and civil‑society groups to curb alcohol and drug consumption. Organisers highlighted the transformation of Hutti village in Koppal district, where, after a spiritual leader’s appeal, residents eliminated liquor outlets and reported a collective abstinence. Thirteen additional villages in the district have reportedly followed suit.

• ▸The conference is scheduled for 1 August 2026 at the Agriculture College auditorium, Shahapur.
• ▸Karnataka’s Temperance Board President Sharanappa Saladpur announced the event.
• ▸Home Minister Priyank Kharge and former MLA Sharanabasappa Darshanapur will attend.
• ▸Hutti village has no liquor shops after the community‑led abstinence drive.
• ▸Thirteen other villages in Koppal district have adopted similar “addiction‑free” pledges.

In Kerala, the “Punyam Poonkavanam” project—originally framed as a clean‑up drive for Sabarimala pilgrims—was allowed to continue by the state cabinet on 24 July 2026. The move contravenes a February 2025 order that barred the Kerala Police from using the project’s name for any activity linked to the pilgrimage. The additional director‑general of police, P. Vijayan, was exonerated from allegations of fund‑misappropriation, even as a separate inquiry flagged unauthorized money collection by private individuals operating under the police banner.

• ▸The Kerala cabinet cleared the project on 24 July 2026 despite the 2025 court directive.
• ▸The project’s name cannot be used for activities connected with Sabarimala, per the court order.
• ▸P. Vijayan, ADG (Law and Order), was cleared of the alleged financial irregularities.
• ▸The inquiry report noted illegal fund‑raising by private coordinators.
• ▸The State Crime Branch has been asked to investigate the matter further.

Legal Framework for Addiction‑Related Crime

India’s response to substance abuse is anchored in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, which criminalises the production, trafficking and consumption of narcotics. While the act primarily targets illicit drug networks, its provisions intersect with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (UAPA) when organised groups use addiction as a financing conduit for anti‑state activities. The National Investigation Agency Act 2008 empowers the NIA to investigate cross‑border drug syndicates that threaten national security. In regions where insurgency and organised crime overlap—such as parts of central India—law enforcement agencies invoke UAPA to designate drug‑linked outfits as terrorist organisations.

• ▸The NDPS Act prescribes up to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of small quantities of narcotics.
• ▸UAPA allows the central government to declare an organisation as unlawful if it threatens the sovereignty of India.
• ▸The NIA can take over investigations of drug cases that have a transnational dimension.
• ▸Section 20 of the NDPS Act mandates confiscation of assets derived from drug trafficking.
• ▸The act’s amendment in 2019 increased the minimum mandatory sentence for repeat offenders.

Socio‑Economic Roots of Substance Abuse

Addiction in rural Karnataka often stems from limited livelihood alternatives and the cultural entrenchment of liquor as a social lubricant. The Hutti experiment illustrates how community mobilisation, coupled with the removal of liquor outlets, can generate immediate health benefits and reduce informal revenue streams that sometimes fund local militias. Conversely, in Kerala, the “Punyam Poonkavanam” drive reflects a broader trend where police‑led social initiatives blur the line between public service and revenue generation, raising concerns about accountability under the Right to Information Act 2005.

• ▸In Koppal district, agriculture accounts for 68 % of employment, leaving limited cash‑flow options.
• ▸Alcohol sales in Karnataka contributed ₹1,200 crore to state revenue in 2025, according to the Excise Department.
• ▸The Kerala project reportedly collected unaccounted funds amounting to several lakhs, per the inquiry.
• ▸ASHA workers in Karnataka have been trained to identify early signs of substance dependence.
• ▸The RTI Act enables citizens to request details of police‑run schemes, fostering transparency.

Law Enforcement Response and Challenges

The Karnataka Temperance Board’s reliance on community leaders and health workers sidesteps direct police enforcement, reflecting a preventive approach. However, the absence of a robust legal mandate limits the board’s capacity to sanction non‑compliant vendors. In Kerala, the continuation of the “Punyam Poonkavanam” project despite a court order underscores the tension between police autonomy under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958—which grants extraordinary powers in “disturbed” areas—and civilian oversight mechanisms. The lack of a clear statutory basis for the project raises the risk of misuse of police resources for quasi‑charitable activities.

• ▸The Temperance Board does not possess statutory authority to close liquor shops.
• ▸Police in Karnataka have invoked the NDPS Act to seize illicit alcohol in past raids.
• ▸The AFSPA, though primarily applied in insurgency‑prone zones,