Editor,
Aalo is the headquarters of West Siang district, surrounded by Siang, Shi-Yomi and Leparada districts.
Aalo was once known as a hub of uncountable intelligentsia, unlike the present day. As time passed speedily, Aalo has seen dramatic changes in all aspects. There was an organic way of lifestyle in the earlier times. However, with the changes in the lifestyles of the people in the present time, there is also the collateral of very dangerous changes that are harming the innocent people of the area.
Many people are talking about beer bars, bar dancing and other nasty activities going on inside and outside the town. The most dangerous among them is drug addiction and its impact upon the youths. Secondly, teenagers enter beer bars at night, instead of being at home. Many are whispering about how outsiders are badly influencing the local teenagers by luring them with ransom amount and meeting their lust for the physical thirst. The tendency of the present teenagers to hurry up to catch up with modern lifestyles is a great alarm that strongly needs a proper brake; else the tendency is eventually going to spoil them.
Aalo is rapidly progressing manifold in terms of businesses and other entrepreneurship. Therefore, it is obvious that people from all walks of life want to start any type of business. Hence, there is an increase in the population. Unlike earlier times, when neighbours knew quickly about what was going around within Aalo township and its adjacent areas, the time has changed so dramatically that it is almost impossible to update about any happening, unless such things go viral on social media.
The rapid modernisation tendency in the youths is also attributed to the internet and other social media impact. It is turning out to be a nightmare for many parents to witness annoying videos and other social media updates – things which are very much unfit to even watch.
To curb this kind of development, adopted especially by teenagers in line with modernisation, the society needs to deeply peruse the issue. The wisdom of the residents needs to be a critical player in this regard. The time is not far when things may go beyond control.
Sensitisation through various means, where participation of teenagers should be compulsory, must be explored at the earliest possible. Restrictions on timing, as well as the permitted age to enter a beer bar or any other night club should be enforced in spirit and letter. The district administration needs to work out a plan in this regard and implement it with force at the earliest.
Moreover, the idea of ‘each one teaches one’ should be implemented by the public too. The most important role of the parents should be keeping a strict vigil on their child(ren) round the clock and restraining them from indulging in such activities.
Although putting restrictions on child(ren) is akin to violating their fundamental right, restraining a child if he or she is suspected to be on the wrong track is required on the part of the parents.
Many people seem to feel that, as long as their close ones are not involved, it is none of their business. But we cannot definitely be sure that their close ones will never get involved in such activities in the days to come.
The objective of each one should be to uproot the basic root of the menace at once. It is believed that law and order in a district is managed and maintained by the police department. Therefore, it is obvious that the police department knows very well about the drugs menace as well as alcoholism harming the society gradually.
The police do have the power to enter every nook and corner of the society, based on how alarming the situation is. Hence, it is obvious that they have an approximate graph of increase in the drugs menace, along with other law and order status.
Indulging in drugs or alcohol is antisocial. Hence, it is better to let the society know how rampant the menaces are. However, for such things to be spread for public awareness, the police department should shoulder the responsibility to post on a public domain. Although the secret should be maintained for the person involved, the figure can be shared on the public domain. The sharing of information on the public domain would act as a means to somehow curtail the fast pickup of graph and certainly instill fear into drug peddlers and abusers.
It is said that “truth is not a thing to be hide; it does automatically reveal how hard you may try to concealed it.” So, it is always better to know about the alarming situations prior to their actual hard impact, which is why a wise man said, “Prevention is always better that cure.”
The fight against drug abuse and alcoholism is not an individual fight but a fight involving the society. The society needs to accept the reality and come to terms with this alarming situation. We can fight back all these menaces as a part of the solution than as a part of the problem. Hence, duties and responsibilities to curb the menace should not only rest on the district administration and the police department; rather, the brunt should be equally felt and held by the citizens too. In aggregate, it is not a one-day fight but a fight until the society transforms into a new face from the illusions of such menace.
Besides the district administration and the police department, public representatives, bloggers, YouTubers, NGOs and CBOs have a role to play in the fight against the drugs menace.
Daggum Doji