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Floodlit pitch and sports

bank help Arunachal


town kick the habit
Sports gear lent to wean youth from drugs

Take your pick: Sports equipment kept at a facility in Miao in


Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
*

Rahul Karmakar Singpho, Yobin, Gurkha,


GUWAHATI Chakma and Tibetan com-
The fight against drugs in a munities.
small town in the Changlang The determined official
district of Arunachal Pra- began overhauling the
desh is riding on a bank of sports infrastructure. The
sports equipment. football-cricket ground was
Soon after taking charge renovated and floodlights
as the Additional Deputy put up. And a parkour park
Commissioner (ADC) of was built.
Miao in February 2021, Sun- “As more children and
ny K. Singh observed that teenagers began playing un-
many children and teenag- der lights from 5-9.30 p.m., I
ers inhaling narcotic sub- realised many poor children
stances as dusk literally were not able to play be-
made the town fall into stu- cause they did not have any
pour. “Drug peddling and sports kit,” Mr. Singh told
addiction is a huge problem The Hindu.
in Arunachal Pradesh. I Another round of meet-
found out many young peo- ing with the community
ple were doing drugs in the leaders generated ₹2.5 lakh
evening because they had and part the ADC’s office
hardly anything else to do,” was converted into a bank
Mr. Singh said. He decided for the sports equipment
to wake the town of about bought with the money. Ma-
8,000 people up with shots, ny locals donated sports kits
serves and volleys. too.
And floodlights. But it was
easier said than done; the Team wins medals
centrally-located football- The bank, unveiled on Janu-
cum-cricket ground in the ary 26, is accessible to all
town was in a bad shape. children but preference will
Mr. Singh began meeting soon be given to those from
the community leaders even underprivileged sections
as he looked for resources to through an identity card.
provide sports facilities. Mr. Singh’s initiative has
Miao, the starting point of a started paying dividends.
157-km trek route through Miao Brawn, the town’s par-
the Namdapha Tiger Re- kour team won two gold and
serve to Vijaynagar on the two silver medals at an inter-
Myanmar border, is inhabit- national event in Nepal a few
ed mostly by the Tangsa, months ago.

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