https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

By Becoming Drug-Free, this Village in Arunachal Pradesh has Demolished a British Era Legacy

Launching an ambitious drug de-addiction model in Kengkhu village of Arunachal Pradesh, the Changlang Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav achieved 100 percent drug-free status in the village. He achieved this remarkable feat with the help of women Self Help Groups (SHGs), `panchayat’ and public figures of the area.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Ever since the British rule, the illegal trade of drugs and its abuse has been affecting the social fabric of the Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh. Not surprisingly, this was also one of the districts selected under the ‘Nasha Mukh Bharat’ campaign launched by the Government of India.

Several officials made numerous efforts to make the district drug-free but to no avail. A ray of hope finally emerged out of darkness when the current Deputy Commissioner of Changlang, Mr. Devansh Yadav successfully executed a drug de-addiction campaign in the most affected village of the district.

 The village named Kengkhu has now achieved 100 percent drug free status.

THE CULTURAL ACCEPTANCE

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr Yadav said “Changlang falls near the Golden Triangle which is located in South East Asia. As Golden Triangle has been the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s, the underground elements have taken a big role in the drug trades.” Golden Triangle is the region where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. Till about 20 years ago, when Afghanistan became the world’s biggest producer of heroin, most of this drug would be rerouted to the rest of the world from Golden Triangle.

“There have been historical reasons as well, as during the British rule Singphos in the northern region of the district were encouraged to consume opium by the Britishers. Many areas here formed part of transit trade routes through which Myanmar traders took back salt in exchange for opium. Also, culturally the raw compounds have been accepted by the people in district,” he added.

Due to all these reasons, the younger generation is falling into the drugs trap. Lack of unemployment opportunities in the villages also contributed to this state of affairs.

THE EARLIEST OPIUM-AFFECTED VILLAGE

Kengkhu, one of the largest villages of the Longchang sub-tribe (Tangsa), is one of the oldest villages to have started large scale consumption of opium in the district. Such was the general acceptance of drugs as a way of life here that the youth and the women had no qualms in consuming the narcotics.

With the consumption of such intoxicants, fights and quarrels became a daily affair in the village. The students got distracted and the infrastructure of schools, community hall, and agricultural fields started deteriorating. These were all tell-tale signs of a downward spiral when things start going out of control.

Guiding the people to follow the right path

Mr. Yadav said, “The women Self help Group (SHG) in Kengkhu village approached us as they were facing various issues due to the rising drug abuse in the district. As village is a strong unit in itself, we wanted to start the drug de-addiction model in Kengkhu district.”

Earlier, when Mr. Yadav was serving as the ADC in the Bordumsa region, many de-addiction camps were organized with limited success in the Singpho `bastis’. The main issue he saw was that some of the youth, once treated, started consuming the intoxicants again after returning back to their village. This was a lesson learnt by the officer which he wanted to avoid under the new model.

EXECUTING THE BASTI/VILLAGE MODEL

The campaign started by assigning a young APCS officer, MetungTaku, to monitor the village day and night. Meetings were conducted with village heads, after which it was unanimously agreed to send willing youths to the drug de-addiction centre in Bordumsa.  Initially, there was lack of cooperation from some gram panchayat members and public leaders and the member of the women SHGs were constantly facing harassment from addicts upon new activities.

DC Changlang giving certificates to SHGs

But in two months, 30 youths got completely de-addicted and a few more were accommodated in the newly established de-addiction centre in the district hospital. De-addiction activities involved medical treatment, yoga, and morning/evening fitness sessions as well as various recreational activities.

Volleyball match being played after declaring the village drug-free

In the second meeting, the achievement in the past two months was acknowledged and the 30 de-addicted youths were urged to change the sentiment in the village. Unlike last time, the fully treated youth upon returning to their village got an opportunity to get involve in newly started cluster farming in Kengkhu. They also received further motivation from `Art of Living’ sessions organized there by Amaka Ngemu.

“Through feedback from BihunTaidong, leader of the Kengkhu self-help group, we discovered that a few peddlers were supplying drugs incessantly, and so we got them arrested through immediate police action. This immediately reduced the supply of drugs in the village,’’ pointed out Mr. Yadav.

After a few hiccups, the unthinkable happened. The village soon passed a resolution declaring the whole premises as drug-free. The model is now being replicated in one more village which will soon be free of drugs as well.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT