Kendrapara: Collector Samarth Verma, Sunday felicitated Sasmita Jena, who dared complain about the boozing habit of her husband to members of the village youth association.
The Collector handed her over a citation and a bouquet at a function jointly organised by the district administration and Excise Department at Purusottampur in the presence of women self-help group members and residents.
Addressing the gathering, Verma said, he came to know about the anti-liquor activist after going through the English daily ‘Orissa POST’. The report – Wife rewarded for info on alcoholic husband – was published in OP dated September 11.
Verma also ordered an inquiry and came to know that the woman showed exemplary courage and brought to light the boozing habits of her husband to the knowledge of the village youth association members who had vowed to make the village liquor-free.
The association had earlier decided to make the village free of alcohol and had declared that if a villager is found consuming or selling liquor will be fined Rs 5,000. Moreover, if anybody submits evidence of a fellow villager selling or consuming liquor then the informant would receive Rs 1,000 as reward.
Consequently, the district administration decided to felicitate Sasmita Jena for her praiseworthy work of mustering courage in exposing her husband Umesh Jena, an addict, before the youth association in order to reform him, the collector said.
“I am happy to know that the youths have made the village liquor-free,” Verma said.
The local youths have turned the village into a model village while Jena has become a role model for several women who regularly bear the brunt of their alcoholic spouses. The local youth association had earlier felicitated her with a cash award of Rs 1000 for her courage, the collector informed.
He said he will recommend the name of Jena to the Chief Minister for felicitation on her praiseworthy work and would urge the CM to reward her as a role model of anti-liquor agitation in the state.
Sheshadeb Das, excise superintendent, said the efforts of Sasmita Jena has helped her husband give up his liquor habit which is laudable and called other women to come forward to show similar courage against addicted people.
PNN