LONGDING, Apr 2: Longding Deputy Commissioner Vikram Singh Mallik expressed grave concern over the opium and alcohol menace in the district and said only women can save the society from going wayward.
Mallik visited Niausa village on Sunday to interact with the women’s welfare association of the village, following reports that the womenfolk of the village had imposed a blanket ban on opium trafficking and IMFL products within their village’s jurisdiction.
“It is a good beginning and such restrictions on opium trafficking should be continued,” Mallik said.
To prevent opium peddling, groups of women position themselves at a point en route to the village every day from 6 am to 10 pm and check every vehicle entering the village.
On seeing the women standing on the roadside under the open sky for the cause, the deputy commissioner sanctioned Rs 50,000 on the spot for constructing a shed for them.
“We should and must invest money on educating our children, instead of spending money on opium and alcohol,” he said.
The women leaders of the village informed the DC about the unchecked and rampant sale of unlicensed IMFL and opium in the village, which has badly affected the villagers, particularly the youths.
“Opium- and alcohol-related quarrels and fights among the youths have become the order of the day in the colonies, where foreign liquors are sold openly with no one to stop them from doing so,” said women leaders Lephe Wangcha and Ngunngam Shangham.
“We were compelled to step in to fight the menace after every effort put in by the village council, students’ union and even the church leaders failed to control the rampant sale of IMFL and opium,” they said.
“Although the open sale of opium and IMFL has now stopped with our intervention, there are reports of some people selling the items secretly in certain colonies of the village. We are planning to launch surprise raids on such houses soon, and we may need the help of the district administration,” the women said.
The DC assured to provide full cooperation in this regard. (DIPRO)
