Suryapet's Bandapalem Village Enforces 70-Year-Old Ban on Alcohol

Bandapalem village in Telangana’s Suryapet district, located approximately 130 km from Hyderabad, has maintained a complete prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol for the past seven decades. The community-led ban has been sustained across generations through collective monitoring, penalties, and social pressure.

Residents in the village state that any violation of the rule results in strict community-level action. Penalties for drinking or selling alcohol include fines, punishment, and expulsion from the village.

Abdul Rehman, a local resident and MBBS student, noted that the restrictions have been part of the village's identity from the beginning. "If anyone drinks alcohol, they will be fined and punished. They will also be expelled from the village, and we take serious action against them," Rehman said. He added that while younger generations may not know the exact origin of the rule, the village elders have preserved the policy since its inception.

Over the years, residents have collectively resisted multiple attempts to introduce liquor into the locality, successfully opposing the establishment of government-licensed wine shops and shutting down illicit arrack and gudumba manufacturing units.

Chinna Venkateswarulu, another local resident, said the tradition dates back to his father's era. "Since my father’s time, alcohol has been banned in our village. Earlier, they tried to set up a liquor shop, but we refused to allow it in our village. Later, some people started making alcohol illegally, and we fought to stop them. All the villagers then decided that there should be no alcohol in our village," he said.

The majority of families in Bandapalem depend on small-scale farming for their livelihood. Villagers note that avoiding spending on liquor has helped reduce household quarrels and fostered a peaceful environment. While individuals who wish to drink travel outside the village to do so, no liquor is permitted to be sold or consumed within the boundary of Bandapalem.