Sirsi: Dr.Veerendra Heggade advised the youth of the state here to away from evil habits. He was receiving the ‘Samyama’ (control) award presented to him, by Sirsi’s state level drinking abstinence Council, at Sahyadri Auditorium on Tuesday evening.
When he stepped out for rural development work through Dharmasthala Rural Development Projects, he faced the challenges of liquor drinking in villages. There were other evil habits also. But through the People’s Awareness Forum, drinking habits were given a go-by. So far, 401 camps against liquor-drinking have been held benefiting over 29,000 people to see new light, Dr.Heggade stated.
Liquor-free camps are not just meant for the backward classes or the BPL families, but they should cover all levels of people.
Certain special camps were arranged for this purpose. Even the students going to schools and colleges are made aware of the bad influences of evil habits, like smoking and drinking, to clean up their character, DR.D.V Heggade explained.
Primary Education Minister, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who was present on the occasion, praised the various regenerating programmes conducted by Dharmasthala Project led by revered Dr. Heggade, and added that the society would change for the better when every individual abstains from bad habits and changes over years to improve himself.
Western Ghats Task Force Chief and MP Ananth Kumar Hegde Ashisara, DC-B.N. Srikrishnaiah, Abtinee Council Secretary HB Dinesh, ZP CEO Vijay Mohanraj, Forum Founder-chairman K.Vasanth Salian, NK Unit Chief Saja Radhakrishna Alva and Pratap Singh Nayak, among others were present.