IMPHAL: Mantak, a small tribal hamlet in Manipur's Chandel district that was once famous for producing high-quality country liquor and notorious for its people's addiction to the brew, has now become the first model drug-free village in the state, thanks to increased awareness about the harmful effects of alcoholism.
The village, also known as Kakching Mantak, has around 1,000 'clean' residents belonging to the minority Kom community who have shunned alcohol. Leave alone alcohol, you will not even find any tobacco products like gutkha or cigarettes being sold at any of the pan-shops or roadside kiosks in this village.
In recognition of the villagers' efforts to eradicate alcoholism and tobacco, the All Manipur Anti-Drug Association (Amada), a leading NGO in Manipur, honoured Mantak with its fifth annual excellence award 'Athouba' (The Marvel). The award was conferred on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Sunday and was given away to the village authority by Amada president M Padamini Leima at a simple function held in Mantak community hall. The 'Athouba' award carries a cash prize of Rs 5000 besides a certificate and a memento.
Amada secretary K Meghachadra Meetei asked all to emulate the Mantak villagers efforts at curbing alcoholism.
S Rameshwar Kom, a villager, said, "Thanks to the strict and committed anti-alcohol and anti-intoxicant campaign launched by our village authority in June 1992, the villagers have given up drinking and brewing country liquor."
Before the village authority took the decision to make Mantak a drug and alcohol-free village, liquor addicts from different parts of Chandel and the neighbouring Thoubal district used to come to the village to drown their sorrows in the intoxicated world here. However, Mantak has been alcohol free for the last two decades. Many alcoholics in the village have overcome their addictions and recovered from alcohol-related diseases as well.