Unique initiative: ‘Abuse free village’ imposes fine for using abusive language, offenders must clean village

Burhanpur (The Uttam Hindu): A unique initiative has been introduced in Borsar village of Burhanpur, where using abusive language now attracts a penalty of ₹500 or one hour of community cleaning work. The decision was taken unanimously by the village panchayat and officially implemented through a resolution. Posters informing residents about this rule have been placed across the village.

The main objective of this initiative is to improve behavior among villagers and reduce disputes arising from verbal abuse. Deputy Sarpanch Vinod Shinde said that earlier both children and adults frequently used offensive words, especially targeting women. To address this issue, strict action has now been introduced against anyone found using such language.

He added that the results of this step have been positive, with people now avoiding abusive speech. The initiative has also been appreciated by residents of nearby villages.

A local resident, Jayshree, said that people have stopped using abusive words due to the fear of penalty. Earlier, children often used such language without understanding its seriousness, even when parents tried to correct them.

Another villager, Ashwin Patil, said that the “Abuse free village” campaign was started to address two main concerns. First, young children aged 12–13 were casually using abusive language. Second, many major conflicts in the village began with verbal abuse.

He explained that the idea was discussed with the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch before being implemented. The villagers also took a collective pledge, and the पंचायत issued an official notice to support the initiative.