Board to submit report on making state liquor-free

Belagavi: A report recommending complete ban on liquor in Karnataka, akin to the Bihar model, will be submitted to the state government soon, informed Karnataka State Temperance Board chairman H C Rudrappa on Thursday.
At a news conference at the DC office here, Rudrappa said that the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar has taken a bold decision of banning alcohol after crores of women staged protests across the state. "The committee from the board visited Bihar to study the process of banning liquor. We now plan to visit Kerala, another liquor-free state for a study. After studying all aspects, a report on banning liquor in Karnataka will be submitted to government," he said.

"The effort of creating awareness among people to stay away from liquor is being held continuously in every district. We are visiting every district to seek opinions and suggestions for prohibition of liquor in the state. Some NGOs have claimed to have helped 80,000 addicts quit drinking. Many mutts in north Karnataka are also involved in this cause. The board has de-addicted about 15,000 alcoholics in past one year," he said.

"Lessons on the ill effects of liquor consumption have been included in school textbooks. Efforts will be made to include such content in college syllabus too. All suggestions will be included in the report to be submitted to government," he said.