JEYPORE: A country liquor outlet at Kundura in Koraput was sealed after hundreds of women staged a determined protest during the district-level public grievance hearing on Monday.
Women from several panchayats under Kundura block assembled at the grievance redressal programme attended by the district collector, demanding an immediate ban on sale of liquor in the area. They alleged that rampant liquor trade was fuelling domestic violence, social unrest and financial distress in their villages.
The protesters remained seated on the block premises for nearly two hours and insisted that they would leave only after the district administration accompanied them to the liquor outlet and shut it down.
After the grievance hearing concluded, the women reportedly surrounded collector Manoj Satyawan and SP Rohit Verma, reiterating that they would not allow them to leave until the liquor outlet was closed. The protesters also blocked the road for a brief period, raising slogans in support of total prohibition in the block.
Efforts by district Excise superintendent Arun Padhi, Kundura IIC Ashwini Kumar Pattnaik, tehsildar Binod Nayak and BDO P Manasmita to persuade the women to withdraw the agitation failed. Subsequently, SDPO Archita Mittal reached the spot and held discussions with the agitators.
With the protesters refusing to relent, the district administration deputed sub-collector Jadumani Nayak and the Excise superintendent to accompany the women to the liquor outlet. In the presence of administrative officials, the Bihar-made country liquor outlet at Kundura was sealed at around 4 pm, bringing the day-long agitation to an end.
The protest was part of a month-long campaign launched by women from Dangarapounsi, Phupugaon, Banuaguda, Lima, Gundal and several other panchayats under Kundura block. They were opposing the brewing and sale of illicit liquor as well as the operation of licensed liquor outlets, alleging that alcohol abuse has severely affected rural families.
