By Manoj Kumar Ojha
Guwahati: Tarawati Munda,35 and her sister Basanti,30, has finding major difficulties to earn their bread and butter. Both were widows and they are facing major challenges.The reason their husbands died 5 years back due to illicit liquor consumption.
According to Ministry of women and child development there are 11,56,042 widows in Assam and 45,722 divorced women as per the Press Information Bureau of Government of India posted on 1 April 2022 .
“There is no help . Had our husbands not addicted to liquor, our could have a better life,” Tarawati told OURINDIA.NET. She added, “I appealed the Assam government to ensure total closure of illicit liquor trade from Tea- Tribes villages. It’s killing our people untimely and making us widow,”.
The two Munda widows are just examples. There are hundreds of women in the Beesakopie village in Tinsukia district of upper Assam who have lost their husbands untimely as they fell ill due to liquor consumption and lost their lives.
Meet Janki Tanti ,26 of the same village. Her husband Parshuram lost life due to illicit liquor consumption one year before. “I feel helpless without him to bring up two little children.The illicit liquor trade must stop in tea garden villages,” Janki asserted.
The life of widow Shanti Dungri is more tragic. She lost her husband years before and lost one of the son while one allegedly attacked another and killed him and facing a murder charge. Both were said to be in influence of alcohol during the altercation. Bimla Tanti, 36, lost her husband as he committed sucide after consuming liquor. “Illicit liquor is the main cause behind all these tragedies which are making life hell,” Bimla said.
But all are not same. Niroda Tanti , 37 who lost her husband years back struggling hard to educate her children and make them self dependent. Two of her daughters are educated and beauticians. The son is also educated and a small businessman. She herself is a garden worker .”I face the challenges and seek new opportunities for my children,” Niroda said .
Hira Tanti ,70 , have a different story. After loosing her husband she brought up her children well. Now all are well established. She pays most of the time offering prayers to God .
She says, “Leading a holy life can make us happy. Addiction is bad we should keep ourselves away from it .
Tinsukia is 500 kilometers from the capital Guwahati. Beesakopie village is 27 kilometers from its district Tinsukia.