Chandrapur: Inspired by the recent strict anti-liquor measures adopted in Bamanpalli, a hamlet in Gadchiroli, another village in the district, Kotgal, has declared a complete ban on liquor which will be backed by stringent penalties and action on violators.In Bamanpalli, villagers had decided to slap fines for liquor trading to wife-beating. The corpus created from penalties will be used for development work.At Kotgal in Gadchiroli taluka, the Gram Sabha a couple of days ago passed a resolution with an aim of becoming a model, liquor-free village. As per the resolution, anyone selling or distributing liquor will not only face penalties but also cancellation of ration card and disqualification from all govt welfare schemes. Additionally, criminal cases will be registered against offenders through the dispute resolution committee and the police patil.Also, anyone who provides credible information about illegal liquor sellers or brewers will be given Rs3,000 cash reward — the identity of the informants will be kept confidential.Notably, women from the village took lead in the initiative. Kotgal is now being discussed across the district as an example of community-led action against liquor.Kotgal, with a population of around 3,300 across 820 households, has been grappling with serious impact of alcohol on families. During the Gram Sabha meeting, women highlighted that alcohol addiction among men has led to frequent disputes in families and domestic abuse. Alcoholism has also affected the health of men, further straining family incomes and well-being, they pointed out.The Gram Sabha meeting was attended by panchayat members, Tanta Mukt Gram Samiti members, members of NGO Search working in the field of de-addiction, police representatives, and a large number of villagers.
