[Prafulla Kaman]
OYAN, 30 Oct: The village defence party (VDP) and the women SHG of Oyan village in East Siang district have pledged to eradicate drug abuse and social evils from their village “within the next year.”
The VDP and the women SHG’s members have been working against consumption of narcotics, alcohol and drugs, and assisting the police in nabbing drug peddlers and other antisocial elements from time to time.
The two groups conducted a meeting at the community hall here on Sunday to discuss their future course of action.
The meeting, chaired by Oyan Gaon Buri Bobita Bori, was attended by police officers, doctors and panchayat leaders, who encouraged the VDP and the women activists to continue their efforts and make Oyan free from contraband substances.
During the meeting, VDP president Suraj Pait asked parents to “monitor every movement of their children and report any evil practices of their offspring to the administration.”
“Our untiring effort is to make Oyan village and adjoining areas free from narcotics and abuse of alcohol and drugs within next year,” Pait said. He added that “the drug addicted children, youths and drug suppliers in the area, along with their associates, have already been identified.”
Oyan ZPM Bimol Lego, Sille-Oyan Anti-Drugs Committee president Tageng Nyitan, Ruksin SDPO Tasi Darang, Jonai (Assam) SDPO Bhargav Moni Das and retired medical officer Dr D Pait suggested to the groups to intensify their drive against narcotics, alcohol and contraband drugs.
Speaking about police-public relation, Sille-Oyan PS OC Tanong Jamoh asked the people to “keep cooperation with police administration,” and said that “the police are working to restrain crimes and law and order situation round the clock.”
The organisers, along with villagers and the business community took out a procession on National Highway 15 and rural roads to encourage people to “say no to drugs, and yes to life.”
