CHIPILI Town Council has observed with concern the heightened underage drug and alcohol abuse in the district.

Council Chairperson, Sweaven Chikota notes that the drug and alcohol abuse  has reached alarming levels in the area with young boys and girls openly engaging in the vice both during the day and night time.

ZANIS reports Mr Chikota in an interview said that the Local Authority has constituted a taskforce involving council and state police, the traditional leadership and bar owners in the area to address the vice.

He  has since warned of stern action against  or erring juveniles, their parents and guardians and owners of liquor spaces supplying alcohol to the underage.

“Underage drinking is against the law. Any child found drunk will now face arrest and prosecution together with their parents or guardians and the bars selling beer to children. 

“The Council will work with the traditional leaders, council police or state police to crackdown the trend,” Mr Chikota said.

The Local Authority has also advised sojourns in the district to adhere to conditions stipulated in their liquor licenses by operating within permitted hours and desist from selling beer to the underage.

“Bars should discourage underage drinking and display clear “NO UNDER AGE” labels in their premises,” Mr Chikota said.

And District Culture and Traditional Affairs Officer, Paxina Peneshi has expressed sadness over the increasing sights of young people drinking with their parents and elderly people in the area.

“It is very sad to see our young girls and boys being spoiled with beer like this, especially by their parents. Parents are drinking beer with their children and they should be arrested also,” Ms Peneshi said. 

Meanwhile, Chipili District Administrative Officer Katele Lengwe has attributed the trend to parents who send their children to buy beer from beer outlets. 

“Stop sending innocent children to buy beer, if parents want to drink beer they should just go by themselves,” Mr Lengwe said.