Come weekends, and the picturesque picnic spot of Ubbalamdugu, between the jungles of Varadaiahpalem and B.N. Kandriga mandals, witnesses drinkers who create nuisance, litter and drive inebriated.
The waterfall, close to Tamil Nadu, attracts about five hundred picnic lovers from both the States on a day, and two thousand at weekends. Despite police patrols, the nuisance caused by drinkers remains unchecked.
Sub-Inspector (Varadaiapalem) A. Hariprasad, who cracked the whip on drunk driver around the spot on instruction of Superintendent of Police S.V. Rajasekhar Babu, said around 30 cases would be booked every month.
“The beautiful falls lure picnic lovers and youth from the border areas as far as Nellore and Chennai. The revelers travel longer distances on sports bikes and SUVs, carrying liquor. ,” he said.
Cracking the whip
Mr. Hariprasad the special drive began after after eight inebriated youths died in a road accident in 2017. “This year has witnessed only one casualty in this regard. We have deployed special teams with breath analysers at vulnerable junctions around the waterfall,” he said.
Saying that the police had been taking instances of drinking and driving seriously, he added that they had been booking offenders under the Indian Penal Code, apart from the Motor Vehicles Act. “In 70% of the cases, offenders were imprisoned for 7-15 days, apart from being fined. We are happy that the number of accidents had come down remarkably after the special drive,” he said.
Drive expanded
Meanwhile, the Varadaiahpalem police have expanded the drive to villages and busstops close to the Sri City SEZ, he said, adding that, “Certain areas under the zone face traffic jams owing to drinkers driving vehicles.” tackle the menace.”
