Dimapur, October 6: The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has questioned the continued focus on the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, asking why the growing problem of drug abuse in the State is not receiving the same attention.
Speaking to the media after submitting a memorandum to Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio through the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur on Tuesday, the NCD president said the council is not against the government or the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), but maintained that the situation in Dimapur warrants the lifting of the NLTP Act.
The NCD president questioned why there is strong opposition whenever the lifting of the NLTP Act is discussed, while the increasing use of drugs and the number of people affected by drug addiction in Nagaland do not receive similar attention. He argued that the prohibition policy has not stopped substance abuse and questioned whether the government should instead focus on addressing the wider problem of drugs and addiction in the State.
The council also cited Dimapur’s proximity to Assam, where alcohol is readily available, and said the continued prohibition has failed to prevent its availability in the district. Referring to recent incidents in Tuensang and Mokokchung involving deaths reportedly linked to consumption of poor-quality alcohol, the NCD president said regulating alcohol would be a more practical approach than continuing prohibition.
The memorandum submitted by the NCD was based on inputs gathered through a series of consultations with Dimapur-based civil society organisations and the Dimapur Urban Council Coordination Forum (DUCCF). The council said it will await the State Government’s response before deciding on further action.The NCD also responded to recent calls, including from the NBCC and DGP Rupin Sharma, for strengthening the implementation of the NLTP Act, saying it would welcome genuine efforts to strengthen the system but maintained that, in the present situation, lifting the NLTP Act in Dimapur would be a more practical option.
