Chapter
18 : Wings To Fly
Alcoholism
is such a dangerous contamination which is hollowing out the society. Many
families have been scattered due to alcohol addiction. Even the ruined families
are driven to engage in illegal and anti-social activities due to lack of
income. If such family members are not diverted in a constructive way, they
become a threat to the entire society. An admirable attempt has been made by
the Aravalli District Police to provide creative means of livelihood to women
bootleggers in Aravalli district.
An
area near Modasa was notorious for liquor selling activity. Surprisingly, women
were active in the illegal business of selling alcohol. Most of the women were
widows. Repeated raids were conducted by the police, cases were registered.
However, women were not ready to leave the business of selling liquor at any
cost.
It was a grave challenge
or the Police.
Despite
a number of cases, why the women were not giving the liquor businesses up? The
district police pondered over that question. They peeked into the lives of
female bootleggers and tried to understand their lives. The findings of that
study were sobering. Those women were active in the business of selling liquor
due to some duress. Most of the women's husbands were died. Their children were
quite younger. They didn’t have any source of income. As some of the
anti-social elements of this area were active in activities like theft,
robbery, assaults, there was no employment or labour for the citizens of that
area. Since the widows had no other means to support their families, they
joined illegal business of selling liquor to earn money.
The
thought of someone constantly doing illegal activities because of compulsion is
heart wrenching. The district police took steps to get such women out of the
liquor business and uplift their lives.
To arrest the criminals and maintain peace and
security in the society is the main job of the police. Yet when they direct an
offender’s life to the right path, the way for an ideal society is enlightened.
Aravalli district police decided to bring the lives of those women to the
mainstream and took it as a mission.
The
Aravalli district police approached a social organization in Ahmedabad called ‘Wings
To Fly’. They have been working to provide employment opportunities to such
women by training them for years. A seminar was organized to train women smugglers
around Modasa under the auspices of ‘Wings To Fly’. About 45 females were
present. The NGO trained them in sewing work and running a beauty parlour. They
also trained them for soap and incense making. Whatever the women had produced,
the NGO first bought from them then sold in the market. In this way, the NGO created
income opportunities.
Even
during the training, the police continued to raid liquor dens and take strict
action against who were caught. The women had rather liked those fine
businesses more than liquor business. Various sources of income were, now,
opened for them with the help of NGOs. Most of the women were slowly getting
out of the illegal liquor business. Social organizations came forward to help them
with tools like sewing machines. A great grant of one lakh was received for
this campaign from Gopal Wafers from Rahiyol, a village near Modasa.
If
more financial help can be obtained from social organizations, the
possibilities of such campaigns can gain more momentum.
Along
with that, the youth belonging that area were unemployed due to the lack of. The
district police adopted a new approach for the employment of these youths. They
organized a loan fair in the district and provided loans to such youths for
business employment. Out of which the youth. Started a business like D.J. The
police showed interest and gave them orders so that they could get chances to
run their business and earn money. Efforts were made to recruit some other
unemployed youth of the area as drivers, servants, helpers etc. on contractual
basis. The district police played an important role in making a living by the
youths who were running the house through small and large thefts and criminal
activities. Mr. PSI C. F. Rathore and his team have played an important role
there.
This
humane approach of Police Chief Sanjay Kharat and Aravalli District Police
which has enabled women and youth to leave the illegal business of liquor and
lead a dignified life is highly commendable.
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