An anti-liquor movement is becoming more widespread in the hills of Uttarakhand. While the administration insistent on getting the liquour shops open and the liquor sellers are trying to portray that the movement is remaining in only a few places, the fact is in Garhwal itself, the anti-liquor movement is on in several places including Bhatwadi, Ghansaali, Jakholi, Sanglakoti, Srinagar, Deval and Karnaprayag. In Dehradun and Kumaon too, the movement is on in several places.
The ill effects of the liquor in this area can be inferred on the fact that when on 11 June women staged a dharna in Karnaprayag on a road leading to liquor shop, a crowd of men addicted to liquor also gathered there. They were already drunk and they were ready to wait for as many as 3-4 hours in the afternoon leaving all work to be able to procure liquor. Their willingness to fight for liquor, the desperate yearning for liquor made for a pitiable sight. While this state of affairs may add to the coffers of the liquor sellers and some bit of it to the state treasury but it is evident how many families are getting destroyed by it. As people of these areas especially women intensify this struggle it is extremely disturbing that instead of addressing the problem, the police in Shrinagar has filed cases against the protestors. Cases have also been filed against women in Deval and Pauri against protesting men and women. It is ironical that BJP which in its election manifesto during Uttarakhand Assemby elections had mentioned initiatives to address this problem is now doing all that it can to suppress this movement.
