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New rules:School students at an awareness campaign on the ill effects of alcohol consumption.File Photo
Government school teachers and principals in Bihar will now have to keep an eye on people consuming liquor and involved in its illegal trade. Prohibition has been in force in the State since April 2016.
A directive in this regard has been issued to officials, teachers and principals by the Education Department.
A stringent Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016 was enforced in Bihar on April 5, 2016 declaring it a dry State.
“There is information that some people are still consuming liquor on the sly and their families have to face its ill-effects. So, it is directed that district education officials, principals, teachers and volunteers identify the consumers and suppliers of liquor and inform about them to the Prohibition and Excise Department’s toll-free number,” said a directive issued on January 28 by the Additional Chief Secretary (Education) Sanjay Kumar.
The directive is addressed to all regional deputy directors, district education officers and district programme officers, asking them to call a meeting of principals, teachers and volunteers (members of shiksha samitis and sevaks) of government-run primary, middle and secondary schools to identify such tipplers and traders of liquor.
“The credentials of the informers will be kept confidential,” said the directive. The directive has also asked department officials to “ensure the premises of schools are not used for booze”.
The district education officials have also been asked to “convene a meeting of volunteers in schools to make them aware about necessary information on de-addiction.”
Earlier, reports of empty liquor bottles being recovered from school premises had been coming in from different places.
Teachers upset
“For the government, school teachers and principals are the most vulnerable section of system to be engaged in any activity, besides imparting education to students — be it holding elections, mid-day meals, campaigns to make any government programme successful or whatever,” said a government primary school teacher of Naubatpur in Patna district.
“It’s simply a ridiculous directive. What can be more humiliating for a teacher than identifying tipplers and those involved in illegal liquor trade?” he added, preferring anonymity. “You know very well that if I disclose my identity, departmental action will be ordered against me within hours,” he quipped.
Asked if they would protest such a “ridiculous” move by the government, he said, “That depends on officials of our association. But we must oppose it.”
Cornered by all-round criticism over “failure” to implement the liquor law under the Prohibition Act, the State government has also been mulling over relaxing some of its stringent provisions during the upcoming Budget session of the State Legislature.
