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Kohima, Sept. 30: A detoxification camp, jointly organised by village councils and student unions of Monyakshu village and town and Mienchangle village with the support of Mon Users Network (MUN), is under way at Monyakshu town on the Indo-Myanmar border in Mon district of Nagaland.
More than 50 opium addicts have so far been apprehended by the village guards and confined to the detox camp and hunt is on to bring other addicts in.
The purpose of the camp is to help the addicts who are willing to forego the habit. “So, the village council and the student organisations have decided to go ahead with the camp and provide all necessary assistance in conducting it,” co-ordinator of Mon Users Network, Sashi Ao, said.
MUN, formed in 2010, is a group of former drug addicts and alcoholics.
Ao is leading a four-member team in facilitating the functioning of the camp, and sharing their experiences with those undergoing treatment. He urged the addicts to give up their old habits and become a member of the organisation.
According to L. Sangti, village council chairman of Monyakshu village, such a camp was also set up in the village in 2006. However, the detox camp has incurred huge expenditure and hence it was closed down after a period of six months. Since then, other control measures were taken up.
As the measures seem to be insufficient, the council decided to organise the camp again despite the costs, Sangti said.
He also said Monyakshu and neighbouring Pesao village, being close to Myanmar, have the highest number of opium users in Tobu subdivision.
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