Keonjhar: Liquor proliferation has caused a lot of resentment among people with their socio-economic lives in tatters in several villages of Padhiaripalli panchayat under Hatadihi block in this district. Women, the worst sufferers, have been bearing the brunt of their alcoholic husbands.
Upset over the liquor menace, hundreds of women traveled over a 100 km from their villages to the district headquarters Tuesday to lodge their protests before the Collector.
They submitted a memorandum to District Collector Ashish Thakare, seeking his intervention in the matter.
The petitioners including Jharana Dehury, Sarati Dehury, Urmila Dehury, Mamata Dehury and Gouri Dehury pointed out in the memorandum, “Most of the people living in this fringe area belong to SC and ST communities. About 90 per cent of them are daily wagers and depend on agriculture. But an atmosphere of unrest has been prevailing in the panchayat due to the spread of illegal liquor trade.”
Antisocial activities are on the rise while liquor consumption by men has taken a heavy toll on their economic condition, they lamented.
The women demanded action against the liquor traders. “If no action is taken against the guilty, we will resort to agitation,” they warned.
The Collector assured the women of necessary action in this direction.
PNN
