‘Drug addiction is a social evil, run public awareness campaign’

Raipur, Aug 24: The second meeting of the political committee of the legislators of the major parties of the state, constituted to make recommendations regarding the implementation of complete liquor ban in the state was held at the GST Bhawan in Nava Raipur. In the meeting chaired by senior MLA Satyanarayan Sharma, discussions were held on the social and economic aspects after liquor ban. The approach to the health of people who have become addicted to drugs was also discussed in the meeting.
Sharma said that drug addiction is a social evil. The state government wants to ban alcohol completely. For this, public health, economic-social and law and order will be affected. Along with this, other topics including the extent of exemption fixed to Scheduled Tribes in Scheduled Areas were also discussed in detail.
In the meeting, the members gave their suggestions for complete prohibition in the state. MLA Shishupal Sori, Dwarkadhish Yadav, Daleshwar Sahu, Purushottam Kanwar, Kunwar Singh Nishad, Mrs Uttari Jangde, Mrs. Rashmi Singh and Mrs. Sangeeta Sinha, Secretary of Excise Department Niranjan Das and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
In the meeting, the social and economic conditions of Bihar, Gujarat, Nagaland, Mizoram and Lakshyadeep, where there is complete prohibition, as well as its effect on people who are addicted, on the law and order, transportation and holding of illicit liquor and public health point of view. It was decided to conduct a study in this regard.
States such as Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur and Tamil Nadu where there was a complete prohibition earlier. There was also an emphasis on taking a study tour in respect of what was reinstated after that. Along with this, it was also decided to make people aware about the ill-effects of alcohol for de-addiction, along with public awareness campaign through street plays in weekly haat-bazaars.
In the meeting, the members also deliberated on fixing the location of liquor shops, gradually reducing liquor shops, reducing the time fixed for opening of prescribed liquor shops, taking strict action against middlemen for selling illegal liquor. In order to make people aware about drug de-addiction, suggestions were also given for wall writing in government buildings, and in case of complete prohibition on the lines of Swachh Bharat Mission, awards and honours should be given to District Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat and Gram Panchayat.
In the meeting chaired by Satyanarayan Sharma, mainly after the implementation of complete prohibition in various states, the financial structure of the state will have an impact on the economy, the impact of prohibition on the social sector, the difficulties faced in the implementation of prohibition, the consequences of the prohibition in the states and change in the law and order situation.
The effect of prohibition on the exemption of the manufacture and holding of liquor to the prescribed limit to the Scheduled Tribe communities in the Scheduled Areas was discussed in detail, including the study of the action taken to stop the sale-transport-holding of illicit liquor. In the meeting, the legal situation and effect in the scheduled areas after prohibition, the impact on public health and the social impact of the public awareness campaign being run by the state government for drug de-addiction were also discussed.