Pubdate: Mon, 24 Dec 2007
Source: Telegraph, The (India)
Copyright: 2007 The Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.telegraphindia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2836

NGO TASK FORCE TO CHECK ABUSE AT DOS

Imphal, Dec. 23: Revellers in Manipur will celebrate  this Christmas 
and New Year's eve without booze or  drugs, if an NGO leading the 
fight against substance  abuse has its way. Merrymaking with drugs 
and alcohol  is very much a part of the festivities. But this 
will  soon be a thing of the past.

All Manipur Anti-Drug Association, an NGO fighting  against drug 
abuse and alcoholism, today announced that  it would not allow 
revellers to get intoxicated during  the celebrations. "We have 
constituted a special task  force to check drug abuse and drinking," 
the deputy secretary of the anti-abuse committee, T. Tembi Leima,  said.

The task force to be led by the committee's secretary,  K. 
Meghachandra, will work in coordination with local  women as well as 
youth clubs to check substance abuse.

Picnics at Sekmai riverbank in Imphal West and Leimram  waterfall in 
Bishnupur district had been a part of the  youngsters' entertainment. 
But the youths will have to  go without the banned items this time. 
"We will put up  check posts at Sekmai and Leimram to ensure that the 
picnickers do not carry drugs or alcohol," another  leader of the NGO said.

Sekmai has the finest breweries of local countrymade  liquor and is a 
favourite picnic spot.

Every year, Imphal organises a two-day concert called  "The Great Two 
Nights" beginning December 31. Booze and  drugs have been banned 
there too. "We will deploy our  volunteers at the venues to ensure 
that no one spoils  the fun," Leima said.

The NGO, however, said they would not have any  objection to singing 
and dancing. Leima appealed to the  parents as well as the local 
women organisations and  youth clubs to intensify the vigil against 
substance  abuse during the festive season. The organisation  warned 
that if anyone was caught taking drugs or  alcohol, punitive measures 
would be taken, and the  punishment could be as severe as handing 
over to the  parents or spouses after severe beating.
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