Andhra Pradesh

DWCRA women show the way

ELURU: Veerannapalem, the once notorious village for bootlegging and arrack consumption, is now a model village to emulate in eliminating the evil of arrack from its frontiers, thanks to a small group of DWCRA women.

Hardly a dozen women, led by Sitamahalakshmi, made their village free of arrack within a span of one year. Now, there is no place for bootlegging and arrack consumption.

The women received a rare honour from Collector G. Jayalakshmi at a function attended by Superintendent of Police B. Balakrishna, S.V. Prasada Rao, Deputy Commissioner, Prohibition and Excise Department, and M. Jyoti, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, at their village on Thursday evening.

Ms. Sitamahalkshmi said death of five persons due to consumption of illicit liquor in the village some time ago spurred them into action. She attributed the success of the movement to the elected representatives from her area and the local youth.

Later, Ms. Sitamahalaskhmi and four of her comrades were invited to speak at an awareness programme in the neighbouring Mudappagudem.

The awareness programme was organised by the district administration in a bid to wean away tribal habitations from bootlegging. Ms. Sitamahalakshmi made a passionate plea to the inhabitants of Mudappagudem to join the movement.

The residents of Mudappagudem held their economic backwardness responsible for the evil.

“There is no water for irrigation and no employment to our youth. What else can we do to feed our families?” a woman told the Collector.

Ms. Jayalakshmi promised to organise self-employment training programmes for tribal youths.

Mr. Prasada Rao said most of the women were found involved in bootlegging in tribal habitations. Jangareddygudem and Polavaram mandals had earned notoriety for bootlegging in the district, he said.

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