BENGALURU: Government libraries in the city may soon help spread the word on the ills of alcoholism and where and how an alcoholic could get help to come out of his or her addiction.
To help spread mass awareness on the ill effects of alcoholism and to prevent consumption of alcohol, the State Government has granted permission to the Bengaluru chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), to place its literature in government and district central libraries in Bengaluru. Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide not-for-profit mutual aid fellowship with the sole purpose of enabling its members to “stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.”
A circular issued by the Director, Public Library Department, on January 23, to the Deputy Directors of the City and District Central libraries, stated that based on a written request of the president of the state committee of AA, Rakshith, the government has granted permission to the fellowship to place AA’s ‘Big Book’ in the 250 government libraries in the five BBMP zones of the city. P2
‘AA working with prisoners since 2018’
The Big Book is the basic text of AA, which has helped in the recovery of lakhs of alcoholics across the world.“It’s a big step forward for the Bengaluru fellowship to reach out to alcoholics in the city. We are thankful to the Department of Public Libraries for granting permission. The Big Book will be placed in the health section of 250 government libraries in Bengaluru,” Rakshith told The New Indian Express.
“The AA, Bengaluru will source the books from the general service office of the fellowship in Mumbai at print cost. The book is also available at the AA regional office in Vasanthnagar near Kodava Samaj,” he added.
Besides public libraries, the Prisons Department has also granted “conditional” permission to AA to spread awareness on the fellowship and steps to recovery with some jail inmates at Bengaluru Central Prison at Parapana Agrahara, who suffer from alcoholism and addictive personality disorder.
“The AA has been working with the prisoners since 2018. We have thankfully got an extension for one more year on January 6, to work with prisoners under strict official supervision,” said Rakshith.
“Some select AA volunteers have been chosen for the prison programme. They are given ID cards by the prison officers and are allowed to visit the prison once a month — on a Saturday for one hour. We are prohibited from carrying mobile phones, camera or video cameras inside the prison,” he added.
The Prisons Department, while granting permission to AA, has stated that the right to permission is vested with the Director-General, Prisons & Correctional Services, Karnataka State.
(For information on AA, Bengaluru visit http://www.aabengaluru.org)