This Maharashtra NGO Conducted 'D For Doodh Not Daaru' Campaign On New Year's Eve To Fight Alcohol Consumption

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs across India. Due to successive lockdowns induced amid the pandemic, people were forced to stay indoors for a prolonged period making them susceptible to loneliness and depression.

Data suggest that increased alcohol consumption led to a rise in suicides and self-harm throughout the pandemic in 2020. Deaths by suicide attributed to drug abuse and alcohol addiction reported a significant rise last year, according to The Times of India.

These factors also led to a rise in the rates of domestic violence in the country, with the World Health Organisation establishing a definite connection between alcohol use and intimate partner violence in many countries.

In light of these issues, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) from Maharashtra has pioneered a novel initiative to curb the increasing instances of domestic violence and self-harm due to alcohol consumption.

D for Doodh Campaign Advocates Drinking Milk on New Year's Eve:

The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee) launched the 'D for Doodh and not for Daaru' campaign on New Year's Eve.

Through the D for Doodh campaign, the Samiti intended to spread the message, "Drink Milk instead of Liquor and healthily welcome the New Year." The organisation reportedly began the campaign after noticing the increasing alcohol consumption in young people.

The campaign was conducted across 25 districts in Maharashtra and across 60 locations spread throughout the state, including towns such as Ambernath and Badlapur and cities like Sangli and Nagpur Kolhapur, and Pune.

Speaking to The Logical Indian, Prashant Potdar, the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, elaborated on the 'D for Doodh and not Daaru' campaign.

"The youth have an increasing tendency to keep consuming alcohol at every opportunity they get. For example, they choose different occasions for drinking alcohol, such as New Year's Eve. First, the youth drink beer, then wine, then as their addiction develops, they switch to cheap and potentially spurious liquor. There is a high likelihood of people succumbing to the draw of alcohol and developing an addiction.

For this reason, we advocate that while celebrating any festival, they remain cautious and not consume alcohol. We have conducted this campaign for over 25 years, and till date, thousands of people have benefited from it." he said.

'D for Doodh Campaign' Spreads across Villages and Small Towns:

The NGO is striving to contain the ill effects of addiction to alcoholism in the rural suburbs of Maharashtra. It conducted the milk distribution programme in some areas of Ambernath-Badlapur on the night of December 31 and January 1. Fifteen volunteers from the committee were standing at entry points of some areas of the towns, holding a milk container. They urged men to get one glass of milk instead of drinking alcohol on the day, to prevent domestic violence.

As per the report, Shyam Jadhav, one of the Committee members, said, "Several families suffer because of the drinking habits of men, leading to accidents and untoward incidents on New Year's Eve. Thus, to start the New Year with a good habit, we try to convince them to start the day by drinking milk instead of alcohol in the New Year."

The organisation distributed over 100 glasses of milk on the evening of December 31.

The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti continues to carry Dr Dabholkar's rich legacy and curb the spread of alcoholism and superstitions across the country.

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