The State Government will go in a big way to raise awareness about the evils of drinking of alcohol and consumption of tobacco.
Development Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi has asked the senior officials of the Department of Excise to formulate an effective campaign module against the evils of drinking and tobacco use.
Padhi, who heads the High-level Coordination Committee (HlCC) in this regard, said the campaign needs to be undertaken in an effective way. Accordingly, the Commissioner of Excise and the Controller of Drugs would submit a joint proposal for this.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of the Odisha State Beverages Corporation (OSBC) would be used for the purpose. The profit-making OSBC has been liberally funding the drive to destroy ganja plants all over the State.
Notably, while there has always been a thrust on expanding liquor business in the State by the Department of Excise (DoE), never have its officials taken up a campaign against liquor consumption.
The Nisha Nibaran Abhijan Committee along with efforts of the DoE and Department of Health & Family Welfare (DoHFW) would try to convince people about the ill effects of liquor and tobacco, said an official.
The HlCC was informed that following an Odisha High Court order and a policy decision of the State Government, at least 266 ‘Off’ liquor shops along National Highways and State Highways located illegally on Government land have been closed.
So far, 90,45,855 ganja plants have been destroyed, which has been valued at Rs 905.48 crore at the rate of Rs 1,000 per hemp plant, said official sources. Illegal cultivation of cannabis are undertaken in Angul, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Boudh, Gajapati, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts.