Daringbadi/ Chandahandi: Hundreds of women along with various voluntary outfits went out on an awareness marathon against illegal liquor trade at Brhamarabadi panchyat under Daringibadi police station in Kandhamal district Tuesday.
Illegal liquor trading is a major cause of worry for our society. So the NGOs and women have raised the issue and started trying to stop the illegal trade by spreading Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence.
The awareness marathon started from Mathili in Malkangiri district October 11 and they reached Daringibadi Wednesday. The team including voluntary outfits Rastriya Yuva Sangathan, Utkal Gandhi Smaraki Nidhi, Gandhi Santi Pratisthan and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation also covered Kerukonda area of Kandhamal district.
The campaign encourages civil society to play a leading role in curbing effects of socio-economic problems caused by alcohol consumption and illegal trading of it.
97-year-old freedom fighter Nishakar Das advised locals to adopt Gandhi’s non-violence to free society from alcohol consumption.
While addressing people, the participants said the main aim of the state government should be to empower communities and farmers without promoting liquor trading.
The members in their slogans said ‘we need work and not alcohol from the government’.
“Alcohol abuse is undoubtedly the cause of many problems in communities and we need a strong partnership with civil society to reduce this,” said Sudip Mitra, a member of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
After the meeting, hundreds of women of Brhamarabadi panchyat got united and gave slogan against illegal liquor trade. They threatened the administration to stop illegal liquor trade, failing which will agitate.
Sarapanch Akash Pradhan said, on the pretext of Maoist area local police don’t take steps against illegal liquor trader.
When contacted, IIC Kousik Majhi said, before 2019 general election we had arrested the persons involved in illegal liquor trading through a special operation.
Meanwhile hundreds of women and members of NGOS protested against illegal liquor trading at Chandahandi block in Nabarangpur district. They gave a memorandum to Collector to stop illegal liquor trading in the district.