Taking men down a peg or two: Women force closure of belt shops, brighten village’s future

Tallavellamla (Nalgonda): Refreshing the memories of the anti-arrack movement in undivided Andhra Pradesh during the early 1990s, when Dubagunta Rosamma (Vardhineni Rosamma), a legendary grassroots-level activist who, motivated by the personal tragedy of losing her husband to alcoholism, organised rural women to successfully force a state-wide ban on liquor; the women of Thallavellamla village in Chityal mandal of Nalgonda district successfully eliminated illegal belt liquor shops from their village, proving that determined women, acting as one, can bring about extraordinary social change.

Their united movement has not only curbed alcohol abuse but has also restored peace, strengthened families, and insulated the younger generation from falling prey to addiction. For years, women working as agricultural labourers in the village have watched their husbands squander hard-earned wages on alcohol, leaving families in financial distress. More worrying was the growing influence of their drinking on youth of the village, many of whom were beginning to ‘stagger’ in the same path.

With nearly 10 illegal belt shops operating in the village, alcoholism had become a serious social problem.

Although Thallavellamla falls under the Nakrekal Assembly constituency, it shares its border with Munugode. After Munugode MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy led a successful campaign to shut down belt shops in his constituency, habitual drinkers from neighbouring villages including Palivel, Ukondi, Ipparthi, Kachalapuram, Kishtapuram, Elagalagudem and Madanapuram began travelling to Thallavellamla, trooping in from as early as 4:00 a.m. until midnight to purchase liquor.

The unchecked influx of tipplers led to law and order issues, eve-teasing incidents, public nuisance, and an embarrassing notoriety of the village as “a liquor hub”, prompting local women to take matters into their own hands.

Heeding women

In the first week of June this year, the determined women presented their grievances to Pushpa, wife of Nakrekal MLA Vemula Veeresham, during her visit to the village, seeking immediate intervention. Acting on her advice, village sarpanch Jogi Suresh convened awareness rallies, mobilised other women, and passed a gram panchayat resolution banning belt (liquor) shops across the village.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deekonda Ravi Shankar

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