Kosi, 2015.12.22 (Ishita Mishra, TOI): One of the first things Raju Singh, 35, has done after taking oath as gram pradhan after panchayat polls in Nagla Bari of Kosikala block in Mathura district, is ban alcohol. Singh also said all those flouting the rule would be fined Rs 1,100 to 2,100. Those informing the violation would be rewarded with Rs 101 in the case of alcohol and Rs 501 in the case of drugs.
The liquor ban move has been welcomed by all in the village who claimed that Raju Singh is the only pradhan who fulfilled his poll promise soon after taking oath.
As soon as Singh took oath of office on Sunday, he called a meeting of village panchayat and asked those in favour of a liquor ban to raise hands. When all present raised their hands, Singh announced his decision.
Singh, who won the polls by a huge margin, told TOI, “The villagers always wanted a liquor ban, but no one ever dared to go against liquor sellers who are powerful and enjoy police support too.
“The priests of Mathura and Vrindavan have always been demanding a liquor ban across the district. Even I think Mathura should be declared as dry district as it’s a temple town and the land land of Lord Krishna,” Singh said.
He added that all those who will found consuming alcohol would be fined Rs 1,100. Those informing the violation would be rewarded with Rs 101. In the case of other drugs, the offenders have to give Rs 2,100 and Rs 501 will be awarded to the one who will intimate the panchyat about the offence.
Manmohan Singh Rathore, an elderly man who was also the part of the panchayat meet which ordered the liquor ban with immediate effect on Monday morning, said that he is happy that the young pradhan has initiated what the villagers have been demanding for years.
Women in various villages in Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan came on the roads for months demanding a liquor ban in the area. Seers too have threatened to boycott festivities during Holi if the administration failed to ban liquor sale in the holy city until then.
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The sale and consumption of liquor in Vrindavan and other parts of Braj are contentious issues. In May of this year, a liquor shop in Chaitanya Vihar, which had been given a legal license to sell by the Excise Department, was torched. See VT article here.
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