Arunachal's Mebo village launches a mission against drug menace called ‘Drugs Mimak’

Showing a better example to other villages across Mebo Sub-Division, East Siang District and the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, the anti-drugs committee of Mebo village under Mebo Sub-division here in East Siang District today launched a mission against the growing drug menace in the region with the title ‘Drugs Mimak’, in the presence of Addl. Dy. Commissioner, Mebo, Sibo Passing, ABK General Secretary-cum-State Information Commissioner, Vijay Taram, Adi Baane Ane Kebang (ABAK), Asst. GS, Ms Miti Gao and Jt. Secretary, ABAK (Environment & Tourism), Ms Nungki Tamuk etc.

The mission launching programme was held at the community hall (Musup) of Mebo village which was led by anti-drug committee, President, Raltik Ratan and General Secretary, India Rukbo being witnessed by village Gaon Burahs from the village, Mattek Megu, Bising Tayeng and Kamang Borang. 

A pledge was also sworn by all the anti-drugs committee members along with the village leaders under the pledging note being read out by Sibo Passing, ADC Mebo in the presence of ABK and ABAK office bearers. They pledged to make the Mebo village free from drug addiction and its peddling by working harder to identify the drug users and peddlers.

On the part of the Mebo village anti-drug committee, they heightened about their efforts toward strongly fighting against the drug menace in the village from last 2-3 months while informing that the Mebo village is the biggest village under Mebo Sub-Division by comprising of Langko, Torang, Darne, Romdum etc. 

As informed by the Mebo village anti-drugs committee General Secretary, India Rukbo, more than 20 drug users and 6 peddlers were nabbed from Mebo and its surrounding villages out of which peddlers were reported to police and are currently under police custody and individual drug edicts were sent to drug rehab centres. “If the drug users handed over to rehab centres and to their respective family clan happens to  repeat the addiction again, they will be put under traditional Adi societys’ solitary confinement called  ‘Leper’, added the anti-drug committee of Mebo.

Also Read: Arunachal government to introduce ropeway system, electric buses in Itanagar

On the part of village Gaon Burah and chairman of today’s mission launching programme, Mattek Megu said that the drug peddlers are mainly responsible for spreading of drug menace in the countryside villages. “I suggest the anti-drug committee of our village and neighboring villages to give capital punishment of death to drug peddlers who brings drugs (Heroin, Morphine, Brown Sugar and Opium etc) from far off areas like Assam and other towns of Arunachal Pradesh to sell it to innocent villagers and youths, because if the peddlers do not come and sell the drug in the villages, the village's ignorant men and youths won’t use drugs”, added Gaon Burah, Mattek Megu in his harsh statement of suggestion to kill the drug peddlers in order to save their other youths from falling prey to the drug addiction.

While ABK General Secretary-cum-State Information Commissioner, Vijay Taram informed the villagers of Mebo, especially to the anti-drug committee members and the Gaon Burahs that, the ABK being the traditional apex & appellate body of Adi society, has already passed resolutions to ban drug uses and its addictions in all Adi villages. Appreciating the noble initiative of the anti-drug committee of Mebo, Taram advised the villagers to make Mebo a complete drug-free village which in turn will also attract tourists in the future which will become a source of income for the villagers. He also suggested saving and preserving the forest and wildlife for tourism purposes as well as for environmental balance. ABAK AGS, Miti Gao, Jt. Secy. Nungki Tamuk and Oti Tayeng, adviser of ABAK also spoke on the occasion and motivated the anti-drugs committee to continue their fight against the drug menace.

Meanwhile, ADC Mebo, Sibo Passing assured for his best support to the anti-drug committee of Mebo from the administration’s side as well as from his individual capacity, as doing away of drug menace in the region is need of the hour to secure the lives of many youths who are rapidly falling prey to drug addictions today. “Besides fighting against drug menace, I also advise our people not to indulge in hunting and killing of wildlife, because wildlife populations are rapidly declining due to excessive hunting round the year by some people”, added Passing.

This initiative of Mebo villagers and their anti-drug committee under Mebo Sub-Division is a notable measure to check and restrict their youths from falling and attracted toward drug addictions which has become a serious and uncontrollable menace in most parts of Arunachal Pradesh today. In this context, administration and police department alone can’t control this grave menace, and hence every civil societies and villages where even a single drug addiction case/s is reported, need to extend their voluntary supports to the government in fighting against this grave menace at the lines of Mebo village anti-drug committee for better future of state’s youths.