With New Year’s Eve around the corner, Kochi police have clarified that no permission is required to host private DJ parties. However, the police are on high alert to prohibit the rampant drug abuse in the city, especially during this time. They have said that special mechanisms are being put in place to prevent drug usage.
Talking to TNM, officials of the Excise Department in Kochi said that special teams will be deployed in mufti across the city to check if there are instances of drug usage during the celebrations. “Special teams will be deployed, giving more focus to areas like Fort Kochi and Njarackal. Hotels in the city where any events or programs are being held will also be under the scanner,” Ashok Kumar, Deputy Excise Commissioner of Ernakulam told TNM. Fort Kochi in West Kochi and Njarackal region, including the suburban area of Vypeen, are notable for its beaches and resorts. Regions in and around Kakkanad, the IT hub of the city, will also be under scanner, the official added.
Meanwhile, Kochi City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare on Wednesday told the media that no special permission from police is required for people to hold private events. Other than COVID-19 regulations like maintaining physical distancing, no permission from police is required for holding private DJ parties, he said.
Meanwhile, large-scale public New Year celebrations like Cochin Carnival, which Kochi is famous for, stand cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch video: Kochi Police Commissioner's reaction
Ernakulam Rural Police Chief K Karthick has also announced that New Year celebrations should be held at a minimum, considering the COVID-19 situation. The rural police have also taken special arrangements to ensure law and order during the celebrations. Service of 1,500 police personnel, including special police patrolling, will be made available round the clock starting from December 31 morning, District Police Chief K Karthick said.
As per the regulation of Ernakulam Rural police, beaches under the police limits will only be open to the public for a limited time. This includes the beaches in the Vypeen Island stretch. Car and motorbike racing have been prohibited in public places, officials stated.
During the past two New Year celebrations in Kochi, synthetic drugs like LSD stamps and MDMA had been seized in considerable quantities.
Last year, Kochi city police had brought in regulations for DJ parties after several drug abuse cases were reported. As per the past direction, prior permission was necessary for holding DJ parties in clubs, hotels, public places and in private locations.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Year’s Eve celebrations are being held at a minimum in the city and suburbs. Only a few major hotels have offered special events to ring in the new year. For example, Crowne Plaza has announced a ‘celebrity dinner’ with singer Niranj Suresh and the band NRJ Project. However, many other luxury hotels have limited the events to buffet dinners.
Nefertiti , the state-owned luxury cruise vessel based in Kochi, announced live music performances by several artists, including DJ Savio, on New Year’s Eve.
Recently, after the state excise department busted a rave party in Vagamon, some reports had alleged instances of substance abuse in Nefertiti in the past. However, talking to TNM, Kochi excise officials shunned the allegations and said Nefertiti has been subject to frequent inspections in the past.
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