Women in Jharkhand village start campaign to stop tipplers from Bihar

Peeved by the drinking habit of men coming from adjoining Bihar to villages of Jharkhand to consume liquor, women of a village in Jharkhand have embarked upon a unique liquor prohibition campaign where they stop such men from consuming liquor in their villages and have destroyed local breweries.

The liquor ban in Bihar has become a bane for many villages in Jharkhand.

Every day hundreds of group of men from Bihar cross over to the border areas of Jharkhand to consume liquor. Due to this the women living in villages across Jharkhand have decided to take up the onus upon themselves to protect their villages and banish such alcholic men from crossing over from neighbouring Bihar.

Women of Asnakoni village in Satgawan block of Jharkhand, located close to Nawada district of Bihar, have started guarding their village with sticks and wooden blocks to stop alcoholic men coming from outside the village outskirts. This campaign, which has been launched for the last one month has become the talk of the town.

The women living in Asanbani village have also demolished half a dozen liquor breweries selling liquor illegally. Police are also helping the women of this village to keep this initiative alive. A meeting of men and women living in the village was held on the instructions of a self-help organisation in which it was decided that all people would form a group and guard the village border carrying sticks and logs all day and night. As a result, alcoholic men in Bihar dare to enter this village.

Similar to Asanbani village, now a meeting of locals is being held against liquor consumption in Danua and Chordaha villages as well as Chatra district of Chauparan in Jharkhand, adjoining Bihar's Gaya district. In these areas too, locals have started a movement against liquor prohibition.

Asha Devi, one of the women leading the liquor prohibition campaign in Asanbani village, says that due to such men entering her village it has compelled the locals here to take such a step.

The situation was such that there used to be a gathering of alcoholic men coming from Bihar entering the village each day. Incidents of frequent scuffles and assaults had become common sight in the village which had an adverse impact on children and women.

The locals living in Asanbani village warned those selling liquor illegally after which they demolished several liquor breweries selling liquor illegally.

Anita Devi, a Anganwadi centre social activist in Asanbani village, says the identity of her village had been tarnished due to such men entering her village from Bihar.

People have now started knowing this village by its original name Kalali Mod. She says that the locals living in her village also sought help from the police and district administration.

"Police station In-charge Uttam Baidya has also fully supported our campaign against liquor prohibition," Anita said.

Local youth led by Manoj Dangi of a local self-help organisation have also come forward in this liquor prohibition campaign.

Last week, people travelling in a Bolero car, who had come to consume liquor from Bihar, got washed away in the Dhadhar river in Parsatari under Bhaghar panchayat in Chauparan, adjoining Bihar. Three drunk men in the Bolero car also drowned in the river and were rescued with the help of locals here. Now the people of this village are also running a campaign to stop miscreants coming from Bihar to consume liquor here.

--IANS

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