Lanjigarh: After realising that county-made liquor and other consumable narcotics like cannabis and opium spoil their social lives, tribals of Maoist-prone Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district have vowed to fight out the menace, a report said.
According to reports, rampant trading of these contraband items has grasped the tribals of all age groups here. Women and youths of this block have taken the matter seriously and joined their hands.
Despite running from pillar to post, fermenting and cooking of country made liquor as well as sale could not be stopped in the region. Led by Khandualamali Women and Youths Organisation, a local outfit, tribals had conducted an anti-liquor awareness padyatra on the New Year’s day.
The anti-liquor movement has been gathering momentum in every nook and corner of Lanjigarh block. Local villagers across the block have widely welcomed the padyatris in their own traditional style.
The villagers of Borapadar, Punjam, Jeeragaon, Kanchanmuhin, Madanguda, Talbura, Ghatikunduru, Pahadapadar and Patangapadar appreciated the cause and beat drums as a sign of their support.
These tribal volunteers are creating awareness among their fellowmen by narrating the disadvantages of Kuchia (typical country made kiln-liquor) in colloquial Kui language (local dialect).
In the first phase, the padyatra has started to cover 16 villages of Lanjigarh block which will be spread to block and district levels. People from all sections of society have joined this movement.
Notably, the county-made liquor and other consumable narcotics have turned tribal women into widows, drained out their hard-earned money and devastated their families.