Use of mobile phones are banned for children under 18 in THIS village in India

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New Delhi: Due to addiction, the village of Bansi in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district has outlawed the use of mobile phones by kids and teenagers younger than 18 years old. A Rs 200 punishment would be imposed for anyone caught in breach of the resolution, which was "unanimously" accepted during a Gram Sabha on November 11.

According to Gajanan Tale, the sarpanch of Bansi gram panchayat, excessive and unrestrained screen time during COVID-19 caused youngsters to become addicted to utilising phones to play games or browse websites deemed improper for their age. ()

The implementation of this decision would be challenging, but we would first address the difficulties through counseling, Tale remarked. Any youngsters discovered using mobile devices will be fined [Rs 200]. Although it's unclear if kids had any input, officials indicated they approved of the prohibition. ()

Young student Ashish Deshmukh said to TOI, "It is a great start to instill positive behaviours among pupils." The plan received support from parents as well because it would enable them to watch over their children. In order to motivate adults to engage in social interaction or intellectual activities like reading, a town in Maharashtra's Sangli district earlier this year instituted a daily "digital detox."

In Mohityanche Vadgaon, a siren signals the start of a 1.5-hour detox every night at 7 o'clock, during which time residents put their electronics away.

Vijay Mohite, the head of the village, claimed to have come up with the concept as a one-time experiment, but as ASHA employees, social activists, and other villagers rallied around it, it spread to become a frequently observed practise.

At the moment, Mohite told PTI, "people focus on reading, studying, writing, and talking between 7 and 8.30 p.m. They put their cell phones away and turn off their televisions. A committee has been formed on a ward-by-ward basis to keep an eye on the initiative's execution, he continued.