The tribals of Bileimunda in Sundargarh district have been holding an anti-liquor agitation for last 135 days, but in vain.
A two-member team of protesters recently had gone to New Delhi and submitted a memorandum in the office of National Commission for SCs and the National Commission for STs. The protesters also sent their memorandum to the President and the Prime Minster. The villagers of Garjanjor panchayat are holding the agitation demanding shifting of a local country liquor shop and a beer parlor alleging that they been the main cause of many disturbances in their locality. A relay hunger strike has also been continuing there since April 1.
During the hunger strike, Hemgiri Tehsildar lalat Kumar luha and Hemgiri police officials had discussed with the protesters and urged them to withdraw the strike, but in vain. The villagers had discarded a Gram Sabha in protest against the apathy. On May 8, a large number of women had staged a rally on the Mother's Day and took oath to drive out liquor from the village. A 12-member team under the banner of Bileimunda Grambasi and Anchalbasi in Sundargarh had met the district Collector on May 9, but district Collector Bhupinder Singh Punia had refused to fulfil their demand. On May 24, Under Secretary to the Governor of Odisha had written to the Sundargarh Collector to submit action taken report on the petition. Since the district administration has not yet taken any action for eviction of that liquor shop and beer parlor from that place, hundreds of tribals, besides several voluntary organisations, staged a demonstration at the Sundargarh Collector's office. “Since our demand has not yet been fulfilled, we had gone to New Delhi and submitted our memorandum in the office of the National Commission for SCs and STs. We also have sent our memorandum to the President of India and the Prime Minister,” said Uttar Naik, a protestor.