National

Arrack ban comes as a boon to poor families

Chitradurga: The ban on arrack has come as a relief to Kenchamma (26), a weaver at Hotteppanahalli village of Chalkere taluk. Her husband, a farm worker, has stopped drinking.

Sunanda, wife of Nagendrappa, who works at a private warehouse in Hosadurga, is happy now that her husband has given up drinking. “My husband earns Rs. 60 a day and used to spend most of it on arrack. We have three children. Looking after them with my meagre earning was very difficult. But now my husband does not drink and our living condition has improved to an extent,” Kenchamma said.

They are among the women of Chitradurga district who are now hoping that their living condition would improve and their children would have a bright future. The State Government’s decision of banning arrack has come as a boon to many poor families which have been suffering in silence. Most of the men from such families are farm workers, weavers and staff of warehouses.

Not only women are happy with the positive change in their husbands, but also the officials of Hosadurga taluk as many of them, who are working under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NRGES), are going for work on time.

“Earlier, many were coming for work late because of their drinking habit. But things have changed now. They are coming for work on time after the ban on arrack,” an official said.

However, the Department of Excise is having a tough time in implementing the ban order. The department, which launched a drive against the sale of illicit liquor on July 1, is continuing it. Staff of the department seized illicit liquor valued at Rs. 1.16 crore, booked 36 cases and arrested two persons in July. “Besides, we have booked cases against 16 persons, who were selling liquor by violating the Karnataka Excise Rule while obtaining licence,” Deputy Commissioner (Excise) M.S. Tamboli said.

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