Surla offers a picturesque view of the falls from a plateau and is a loved destination of nature lovers, who wish to enjoy natural beauty. Just being 47 kms from Belagavi it is the best place to also get liquor cheaper as it is in Goa state.
At first, all the villagers found this to be a great option to make it commercial and earn more but now the same has become a suffering for the villagers.
There are 13 liquor bar operating in and around Surla village owing to the nuisance caused by the clients of the bars, mostly tourists, the Village panchayat has passed a resolution seeking closing down of bars. They have also requested the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to intervene in this matter.
According to the Navhindtimes, People of Surla have seen drunk tourists resorting to obscenity by dancing in semi-nude condition, passing lewd comments on local women out on daily chores, like bathing and washing in ponds. Tourists block roads. Failure to deal with such elements would lead to bigger numbers coming to the village and creating a law and order problem. Safety of local population should be high on the agenda of the state authorities. With the villagers alleging illegalities in liquor sales, there is also need to keep a tab on the liquor vendors and liquor being sold in the area. The villagers have alleged that some of the deaths that have occurred in the area could be murders arising out of fights after drinks, so it would be in the interest of people that such situation are avoided in future by taking preventive steps, including controlling the sale of liquor. It remains to be seen whether the state authorities would order a probe into the deaths that have taken place in the area and take the cases to logical conclusions. Such steps would serve as a deterrent and could prevent such incidents in future.
This is the best thing Panchyat of sural doing. Many of peoples are dancing in semi-nude and even drunk and drive. Its the best decision sural panchyat has made. I agree many of commercial in sural village are with liquor but to keep our culture, safety for local women’s this is best decision by panchyat.