Excise Inspector's mission: Make Karnataka liquor-free!

Kalaburgi: While most staff of the state excise department are engaged in promoting and regulating liquor manufacture and its sale, here is one officer who stands apart from the rest in the department.

Mr S.H. Lingegouda who is presently serving as excise inspector of Maddur taluk in Mandya district, is on a mission to create awareness about the ill effects of alcohol. His aim: Make the state liquor-free!

Mr Lingegowda, who began his padayatra from Basavakalyana in Bidar district under the banner of Kalyan Karnataka Padayatra Mattu Yoga Basava Prathisthan, said he has applied for two-and-a-half months leave to go round the state to create awareness against alcoholism. He has chosen to launch the awareness campaign from Basavakalyana as it was famous for  social reformers who fought against social evils in the 12th century.

Mr Lingegowda who staged a one-day satyagraha near the Deputy Commissioner’s office here recently, intends to hold similar satyagrahas in other district headquarters too. Awareness campaigns, seminar, hunger strikes and satyagraha would be held in all districts to discuss the ill-effects of consuming alcohol and how it was destroying families, he said.

Mr Lingegowda has chosen to undertake the awareness campaign as he strongly feels that the menace of alcoholism is not only impacting the financial health of many families, but also destroying social and cultural values and leading to degeneration of moral values among youth.