SAMBALPUR: Lariapali, a tribal dominated gram panchayat (GP) under Bamra block of the district, has become an inspiration for other villages. The GP has turned alcohol and drug-addiction free.
Recently, the panchayat has been selected for national award for outstanding services in the field of prevention of alcoholism and substance (drug) abuse. The award, instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, will be received by Sarpanch of Lariapali Sukru Kujur on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at New Delhi on June 26.
As per a survey conducted by Bharat Nirman volunteers, out of 1,101 households surveyed in the gram panchayat, while 720 had admitted addiction to alcohol, 811 admitted addiction to cannabis, tobacco and other substances.
Sources said alcohol consumption was 240 litres per day in the nine revenue villages besides three hamlets of Lariapalli gram panchayat. But due to persistent efforts including community mobilisation, awareness drives and behavioural training workshops organised by the volunteers of a social organisation with support from Kujur, large-scale attitudinal shift was witnessed in the panchayat. Lariapali had 90 per cent addiction rate about three years ago.
Kujur said the seemingly impossible task to make the gram panchayat alcohol and drug addiction free was possible due to active support of a 10-member self-help group (SHG) of the village along with volunteers. The SHG members visited the villages in the panchayat and kept a tab on sale of illicit liquor. The SHG imposed fine of `5,000 on anyone selling liquor in the gram panchayat and ` 10,000 on second time offenders, he said. The villagers, who used to sell illicit liquor have now been engaged under MGNREGS.
Kujur said criminal activities have drastically come down and the villagers have become healthier after the the panchayat turned alcohol free. “The nation will prosper if people shun liquor and other tobacco products”, he said.