Activists to make it rural poll issue

Bhubaneswar: Prohibitionists at a state-level convention here recently announced that they will intensify their movement against sale of liquor in the state from August 9. They will also persuade people to vote for candidates, who promise to make panchayats and blocks liquor-free, if elected in the upcoming panchayat elections.
The convention, coordinated by Odisha Madamukti Abhijan (OMA), a body spearheading a movement against sale and consumption of liquor, passed a resolution to start a united movement to exert pressure on the government to ban liquor in the state.Members of Milita Odisha Nisha Nibarana Abhiyan, Lok Shakti Abhiyan and women self-help groups said they will stage dharna in front of the liquor shops and block offices demanding ban on liquor.
The OMA convener Pramila Swain said they will also persuade gram sabha members to protest against opening of liquor shops near their villages. She said women will take lead.
She said they will conduct dharnas and demonstrations at block-level across the state from August 9 to August 15. "Later we will resume our agitation from October 2," she added.
Campaigner Prafulla Samantara said they will link the movement with electoral politics to create fear among the politicians, who don't support the total prohibition in the state. "We will motivate people to vote for the candidate, who support liquor ban in his/her area," he added.
Harabati Gand, a tribal leader from Nabarangapur, said they will start the work from home and village.
Another prohibitionist Basanti Panda from Sundergarh said she has been working as anti-liquor campaigner since 1992. "We have made four gram panchayats liquor-free. We will intensify our work to make other panchayats liquor-free," she added.