Damudih of Potka likely to become first liquor-free village of East Singhbhum

Jamshedpur: Damudih village of Shankarda panchayat in Potka block may soon get the distinction of becoming the first liquor-free village of East Singhbhum district.

This was informed by the deputy collector of Chief Minister�s Camp Office at Jamshedpur Sanjay Kumar who visited the village and interacted with the Gram Pradhan and other dignitaries on the issue of making Damudih liquor-free.

Kumar said the Mukhiyas of those villages where liquor was socially banned and boycotted could contact the deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum and lay claim to the title of first liquor-free village of the district. �The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das has been creating a positive environment to make the villages liquor-free. The CM himself has been publicly announcing to give Rs 1 lakh to the liquor free villages as a motivation amount,� he said.

Sources in Damudih said the villagers had long been demanding ban on liquor and appealing every household to boycott its consumption and those consuming it. As a result of the collective efforts put in so far by the villagers, liquor sale and purchase has been prohibited within the limits of the village.

The village pradhan Thakur Manjhi said a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed by the village committee on those found distilling or selling liquor. Those found drinking are made to pay a fine of Rs 5000, he said, adding that the stringent punitive measures had led to a total prohibition in the village.

�Since no one is allowed to consume liquor, there is complete peace in the village. No criminal case has been registered against anyone here since the day liquor was banned,� Manjhi said.

The deputy collector has been running an awareness campaign against liquor in Damudih since January last. He appealed to the residents to quit smoking and other forms of addiction involving beedi, cigarette and gutkha. Several households in the village have even pasted self-declaratory messages announcing their decision to quit all forms of addiction.

An application will soon be given to the deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum by the Mukhiya of Damudih, Kapra Hansda, to claim the status of first liquor-free village of East Singhbhum.