Alcoholism fast spreading among estate workers

Navaratna Bandara, Mahaveli systems corr.

BADULLA: More estate workers and their family members in Badulla have addicted to alcohol, said a senior police officer attached to the senior superintendent of police office, Bandarawella. The Uva Provincial Health Services Director's office too confirmed the report.

'Even some women of these communities in and around Badulla, Bandarawela, Diyatalawa, Ella, Haputale, Lunugala, Passara, Uva-Paranagama and Welimada have increasingly become alcohol users', the officer said.

A senior health official attached to the Uva Provincial Health Services Director's office said these alcohol addicts are more likely to be victims of diseases and depression, creating more problems to the public healthcare effort by the Government.

The official said there were several reasons for the increased addiction of these people than people in the neighbouring areas.

'They are more likely to be influenced by peer pressure, even when they have been told and accepted that this habit is risky for them', the official said. 'They are also likely to be victims of frustration under critical economic and social problems they face,' the official said.

Meanwhile there are organised illegal alcohol producers and traffickers having a great impact on the communities in the estate sector, the official pointed out.

Authorities in the police, the public healthcare agencies and managements of the estates should come up with a much better way to address this issue , he said.