In most parts of Goa it is difficult to imagine life without liquor. And with over 3,000 booze outlets likely to close down on the orders of the Supreme Court, the angst is palpable. While almost every village, which has the fortune or misfortune of having a national or state highway passing through it, will have to shut down a few liquor outlets, the exception is Kirlapal in Dharbandora taluka. It is the only village which does not have a bar or liquor outlet. The last one was closed down 10 years ago after women folk agitated. The trigger for the agitation was the youth who were increasingly becoming addicted to alcohol. Those still interested in imbibing this pernicious stuff have to travel 1.5 km to the next village. In every way, Kirlapal is an oasis in a State that is literally awash with alcohol.
Kirlapal, however, is not alone in its battle against alcohol. In March last year, Kachhabali became the first village in Rajasthan to go dry after the lone alcohol outlet was closed. This achievement came through a referendum in which 67.11 percent of the villagers voted against alcohol. Surprisingly, the vote was conducted by the excise department. What is even more surprising is that the Rajasthan Excise Act 1975 has a provision that provides for the closure of a country liquor shop. Under this provision, 51 per cent of all registered voters “ not those just present and voting “ should vote against the shop for it to be closed. Kerala and Bihar are the most notable of dry states, but the decision to restrict sale of alcohol was taken by the government. In Kachhabali the decision was taken by the people and that is why it is more effective.
There are stories from around the world of villages going dry. In 2012, the residents of Tumul, a village in Siberia banned the sale and consumption of alcohol. The result was that those who were alcohol dependent found jobs and many families went back to doing the work they did before they became alcohol dependent. All their weddings, parties and feasts are alcohol free and they seem to be having more fun. In the US for instance, there are hundreds of dry villages or counties. About 18 million people in the US live in dry counties which cover 10 per cent of the land mass. Believe it or not, the county of Lynchburg in Tennessee, US which is home to the only plant of Jack Daniels bourbon whiskey in the world is a dry county.
There are merits in going dry and local communities understand the benefits better. Kirlapal is a bright shining example of the benefits of going dry while the rest of Goa fights to save liquor outlets from the marauding axe of the Supreme Court. Goa needs to reign in its propensity for drinking before it is totally consumed.
