Calling alcohol de-addiction a true act of social service, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade has said that the liquor de-addiction camps organised under the Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (DRDP) have given him the deepest satisfaction in his long public service.

Speaking after inaugurating the Gandhi Smruti and Mass Awareness Convention at Tenkila Okkaliga Gowda Samaj Bhavan in Puttur, Dr. Heggade said that lakhs of people have been able to reclaim their dignity and build better lives after attending these camps.

“Of all the contributions I have made, the de-addiction camps are the most fulfilling. They not only save individuals but also strengthen families and society,” he said. “Cinema and theatre may show drunkards as comedians, but if they don’t wake up, life itself becomes a joke.”

Dr. Heggade noted that the Navajeevana Committees, formed by reformed addicts, now have over 1,000 members who have received training in self-employment and livelihood skills. The initiative, he said, aligns with Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a vice-free and self-reliant society.

A resolution passed at the event urged the State Government to enforce prohibition, introduce awareness programmes in schools, and restrict liquor shops in villages. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including MLC Kishore Kumar Botyady, former MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor, and senior officials of DRDP and Janajagruthi Vedike. The convention also included welfare measures such as construction grants, scholarships, and livelihood support for local beneficiaries.