Gadchiroli June 19 (District Correspondent) Though there is a liquor ban in the district for the last three decades, illicit liquor is available in abundance and being sold in large scale. This illicit liquor is being seized, liquor dens being raided jointly by the Muktipath workers and the police. Still, the sale and manufacturing of liquor has been going on.
The sacred place like Markanda Deo in Chamorshi taluka which is known as the ‘Kashi’ of Vidarbha also has become a den of liquor sale and the women of Muktipath had to come forward to get this liquor stopped.
In a joint meeting of the Gram Panchayat and the women of Shaktipath that was held recently under the guidance of Muktipath to stop the illegal sale of liquor in Markanda Deo, a decision was taken to ban liquor and a notice was given to the vendors and an appeal was made to immediately stop the illegal business.
Since illegal liquor is being sold in Markanda Deo, alcoholics from nearby villages of Farada and Mohurli, where liquor sale is banned, also come to satisfy their addiction. Due to these vendors, the number of people drinking alcohol is increasing. Alcohol has also had adverse effects on the health of some people. Therefore, a joint meeting of the Gram Panchayat Committee and the Shaktipath Women’s Organization was held to discuss the issue.
In this meeting, an action plan was prepared against the liquor sellers in the village. It was decided that Shaktipath and the Gram Panchayat should jointly take non-violent action, keep a constant record of liquor sellers, file cases at the police station, and submit a memporandum to the Superintendent of Police, if necessary, etc.
After that, when the house and premises of four liquor sellers in the village were inspected, country liquor was found in one house. An appeal was made to immediately stop the illegal business by destroying the liquor. Despite repeated warnings to the sellers in this village, they did not stop their illegal business. Therefore, the villagers have demanded that the police department take action against the sellers concerned immediately.
The meeting was attended by the village sarpanch Mogre, Shaktipath Association President Sunita Marskolhe, Police Patil Aarti Abhare, Village Association President Sunita Gandalwar, Sushma Atram, Raju Mogre, Muktipath Team and other women from the village.
