An all-party meeting held last April decided to ban the sale and distribution of illegally produced home-made liquor and low-quality liquor in Bajhang, effective from Jestha 10.

The decision to ban low-quality liquor was made on the grounds that it was not only affecting the peace and security of the district but also adversely affecting public health. In the course of implementing the decision, the District Administration Office started confiscating illegal homemade liquor packaged in plastic bottles and bags from various markets in the district. However, the court stayed the implementation of this decision, which was made under the chairmanship of the head of the District Coordination Committee, Bajhang, in the presence of the heads of all 12 municipalities of Bajhang, deputy heads, representatives of political parties, heads of security agencies in the district, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Hoteliers Association, less than a month after it began.

On Asad 16, a businessman from Bajhang filed a writ against the decision, and on Asad 17, the High Court of Dipayal issued a peremptory order directing not to implement the decision. After the order of the joint bench of Justices Dandapani Sharma and Asmin Kumar Rai, the all-party, all-sided decision to ban low-quality liquor was stopped from being implemented.

The liquor, which quickly excites the drinkers, has started reaching the villages again. At a time when low-income but addicted drinkers are consuming such liquor daily, on the one hand, it is affecting their health and on the other hand, domestic violence and heinous crimes are increasing, and now the sale of low-quality liquor has been stopped after the municipalities themselves took the lead.

After the laws were enacted by the Bitthadchir, Thalara, Khaptadchanna rural municipalities and Bungal Municipality of Bajhang, the sale of low-quality liquor entering Bajhang was stopped.

The district assembly on Bhadra 8 and 9 had decided to control liquor that is harmful to public health by enacting laws. The District Administration Office and other bodies also supported and coordinated the municipality in making the law. 'After coming to Bajhang, we discussed with locals from various areas how to make peace, security and public service delivery here effective,' said Chief District Officer Kailash Bahadur Thakurathi. 'From everywhere, it was said that low-quality alcohol is the root of violence, crime, and social evils.' When we tried to stop it, the court stopped it.'

Now, as per the Local Government Operation Act, alcohol in plastic packs has been completely banned after the municipalities made and implemented the law. 'We also provided technical support and coordination to some municipalities while formulating the law. Now we are helping in its implementation,' he said.

Since alcohol sold in plastic packs is available at a cheap price, many people consume it, and some even lose their lives at a young age, says Ward Chairman of Bitthadchir Rural Municipality Harish Khadka. 'First of all, a guideline was made and implemented for the sale, distribution, management and regulation of alcohol,' he said. 'Due to this alcohol, fights between households and various crimes even in villages had increased.' Now, such incidents have reduced a lot.' He said that the incidents of fights at the ward office have also decreased more than before.

The root of crime and violence

Since cheap and low-quality alcohol is easily available, children, youth and the elderly in villages have become addicted to it. Police statistics show that the number of various crimes in the district is also increasing due to alcohol.

Last fiscal year, a woman died when her husband beat her up after drinking alcohol. The District Police Office has a record of 13 rapes that year. 78 incidents of various forms of violence against women were registered at the District Police Office. Police say that alcohol is the cause behind most of these incidents.

According to the District Police Office, 39 rapes and 19 attempted rapes have been registered in Bajhang in the past three years. 43 women have committed suicide by hanging themselves and three have committed suicide by consuming poison. During the same period, 458 complaints related to domestic and women's violence, such as beatings, physical and mental torture, have been registered with the police.

'Every case of domestic violence and violence against women comes, alcohol is somehow involved in it,' says Kapur Khatri, an employee of the Women and Children Unit of the District Police Office. 'I think such incidents would be much less if alcohol were not the only factor.' She said that women come to her with complaints of beatings and violence by men who drink alcohol every day.

‘Alcohol is the reason behind most of the incidents of daily beatings, from murder, rape, divorce to rape,’ says DSP Khagendra Dhamala, Chief of the District Police Office, Bajhang. ‘Some women have even committed suicide because their husbands are drunk and abuse them every day.’

Pointing to the worsening form of alcohol-related disorders in Bajhang, he said, ‘It has been found that violence against women and children is increasing due to alcohol, economically, socially, and psychologically. Which cannot be shown in the records. This is a sign that it could be dangerous for future generations as well.’

Women’s rights activists say that hundreds of women in rural areas are forced to suffer violence due to alcohol. Mamta Singh says, ‘Not even 10 percent of the incidents that occur due to alcohol reach the police or women’s rights activists. Most of the victimized women do not bring such incidents out of fear of ruining their homes. Even the incidents that come out are usually resolved in the village. The incidents that come to the police are only incidents that cannot be resolved in the village.'

History of Bajhang in alcohol control

In 2054 BS, after the increase in alcohol-related business in Bajhang disrupted social life, the then District Development Committee declared Bajhang a dry area. Since it was not allowed to be sold, distributed and consumed openly, the problems caused by alcohol were much less than now.

The second people's movement was successful in 2063 BS. With the success of the movement with the direct participation of seven parties and the indirect participation of the then rebel Maoists, the style of governance through an all-party mechanism developed. An all-party all-sided meeting held in 2063 BS under pressure from traders reversed the decision made by the District Development Committee in 2054 BS and reopened the sale and distribution of alcohol in Bajhang. At that time, due to the lack of road transport, traders started importing alcohol into Bajhang by chartering planes. Every day, 2/3 private airline planes carrying alcohol landed at Bajhang Airport. Even though domestic alcohol was considered illegal, production started everywhere as the control situation was very relaxed. Omjung Bahadur Singh, the then president of the Bajhang Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says that more than 150 million rupees worth of branded alcohol entered Bajhang by plane in 2063/64 BS alone.

As soon as alcohol was opened, it began to take the form of social evil. From domestic violence to heinous crimes such as murder and rape, incidents of violence began to increase unexpectedly. Alcohol was somehow linked to all the incidents. Police statistics show that 5 to 10 people have died from falling off cliffs every year due to alcohol since 2064.

After alcohol began to have a serious impact on social life, women and civil society in Bajhang raised the voice for a ban on the sale and distribution of alcohol. They even held street rallies and sit-ins several times. After widespread pressure from women and civil society, the district council held in 2069 decided to ban alcohol. But it could not be implemented.