Tamil Nadu - Erode   

No more hooked to drink

Staff Reporter

250 villagers turn a new leaf, children take to studies

ERODE: : More than 250 men of Rayarpalayam near Gobichettipalayam are free of alcoholism now. Away from illicit arrack their health is in tact and the family is getting a reasonable fund to maintain itself. Their children are busy with studies.

It all happened in Rayarpalayam, where over 300 families were engaged in distilling illicit arrack, and marketing them in nearby Tirupur and other areas. Those who distilled were also hooked to it.

To make them useful citizens, the District Police administration has formulated a new system. Accordingly the Additional Superintendent of Police, R. Sundararajan, formed a group of dedicated policemen and launched "Operation Sathyagraha". A tent was put up from where they raided the village every day and soon put a full stop to the illegal activity.

Mr. Sundarrajan arranged jobs for 180 persons in textile industries of Tirupur. They boarded the bus for work, returned in the evening earning a reasonable sum. The youths were asked to take to agriculture and other work. Boys and girls below 12 years of age, hitherto assisting their parents in distillation of illicit arrack, started going to school. Would it be a model village? Police and revenue officials are taking sincere efforts to form Self-Help Groups to start some tiny industries for women.

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