Adilabad: Gram Panchayat fines people of Rs 500 for lockdown violation in search of illicit liquor

Hyderabad: As the nation-wide lockdown entered its 13th day, the government both state and centre have constantly made eforts to educate the people on te importace of social distancing and staying home amid the testing times that the nation besies the world is going through due to coroanvirus outbreak.

As we all have been seeing the police adopt various ways to make people understand either with the lathi or by wearing coronavirus helmets and also by turning into mythological characters. People however still are seen on the streets and are paying the price for it if not for a valid reason.

In a similar incident in Adilabad's Utnoor Mandal, A tribal Gram Panchayat imposed a fine of Rs 500/- each on three people who were not a part of the village but had come to the village on their bikes. The receipt read that the fine was due to the violation of lockdown orders. Out of the three people, two were residents of Lakkaram where in one was from Narsapur. The officials of Gram Panchayat on noticing the vehicles stopped them and asked them what were they out for to which they did not answer. As a result of thatv they were imposed a fine of Rs 500/-, a one of a kind initiative by the Garam Panchayat of Utnoor Mandal.

Speaking of the same to Adilabad Collector, Devasena, she said, " The men were asked by the officials of Gram Panchayat for what they had come out to which after asking repetitively, it was known that they were out for the purchase of Illicit Liquor. As soon as the officials knew about it, they imposed a fine of Rs 500/- as the men for violating lockdown orders. The people over here are extra vigilant and are very careful of who enter their village. They are doing a great job in controlling the entry of unknown people. If someone comes out for something important, the officials from the gram panchayat itself escot them to the place. Let it be for medicial emergency or something. Five volunteers from here also formed a group called as the " Panchamutthi ". They ask people of what groceries they want and then go and purchase them. They then deliver it at their doorsteps. This is followed in every village in Adilabad. Even the people are very aware of what is happening and they allow these volunteers at their doorstep only after all the preventive measures are taken. The process of imposing the fine for violating lockdown orders is an initiative by the Gram Pancayat. Neither the state nor te centre have given any such orders to collect fines."