Bihar govt instructs teachers to report illegal liquor consumers & propagate awareness

Taking stern note of the reports of the secret consumption of alcohol, and after recording numerous hooch tragedies, Bihar government initiated a de-addiction campaign in the state, roping in school teachers, principles & other officials of education department to propagate awareness among the people about the ills of alcohol consumption and its addiction. 

To ensure on-ground implementation of CM Nitish Kumar government’s initiative, Bihar’s Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar had written to all Regional Education Deputy Directors, all District Education Officers, all District Program Officers in the state to participate in the initiative and aware people in their localities about the de-addiction programme. 

Bihar govt ropes in schools to propagate de-addiction programmes

In the letter, Kumar asked teachers to speed up de-addiction programme as addiction has ill effects on the consumers and their families. He asked them to identify and educate people who consume or distribute liquor illegally. They were further told to report the person to the Drug Prohibition department. The Additional Chief Secretary further asked the teachers to ensure that school premises shall not be used for alcohol sale/consumption post the completion of the classes. The initiative also includes educating the school students and counselling them at a young age about the ill effects of alcohol consumption.

The letter read, “All the headmasters/teachers/members of the school education committee of primary and middle schools / higher secondary schools should be instructed to identify the people who drink or supply alcohol. The identity of the person giving information will be kept confidential by giving information on the mobile number 9473400376 9473400606 and toll free number 18003456268 / 15545 of the Prohibition Department. It should also be ensured that after the school period, no secretly drug addicts use the school premises.”

To tackle alcohol addiction, the Bihar government has launched various de-addiction initiatives. Such initiatives will help to spread awareness among individuals. NDA led Bihar government banned the consumption of alcohol in the state in 2016. However, post-ban several hooch tragedies have been recorded in the state. Many people have died after consuming local, self made liquor in several areas including Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah, Samastipur, Vaishali, Nawada as well as CM Nitish Kumar's district Nalanda.

After facing immense criticism from opposition leaders for improper implementation of liquor ban as many people were caught drinking alcohol, the state government further aims at stricter norms against alcohol consumption in the state.

Image: PTI