The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Roja urges women to fight against belt shops

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Friday, Jun 13, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Roja urges women to fight against belt shops

Correspondent

State has no inclination to control the flow of liquor, she says

Accuses YSR of going back on poll promise on prohibition
Telugu Mahila cadre raid belt shop opposite hospital

VIZIANAGARAM: State Telugu Mahila president R.K. Roja has called upon women, notwithstanding party affiliations, to join her in the fight against mushrooming belt shops in the State.

Addressing a gathering of women in front of the Collector’s Office, where she along with district Telugu Mahila president Sobha Hymavathi, MLA from Gajapathinagaram Padala Aruna, State propaganda secretary Atchutavalli and others organised a rasta-roko for about 30 minutes, Ms. Roja criticised the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Government for flooding the State with liquor and ruining the lives of BPL families.

Excise target

She said that the Chief Minister had gone back on his election manifesto that prohibition would be imposed in phases. In contrast, she said that the Chief Minister fixed targets for excise officials to improve revenue from Rs.300 crores in 2003-04 to Rs.1,200 crores now. That apart, the Chief Minister had increased the upset price for filing tenders by 15 per cent, granted licence to 40 more distilleries and permitted beer manufacturing units to operate third shift for increasing production, indicating that Dr. Reddy had no inclination to control the flow of liquor.

‘Crime rate up’

She said that with the opening of belt shops in residential areas, near hospitals, schools and temples, the rate of crime, particularly against women, increased. She asked women to inform excise officials about the belt shops in their localities and give them time for action. If the officials did not respond to their notice, the Telugu Mahila cadre would raid the shops and destroy the liquor bottles, she warned.

Later, submitting a memorandum to District Revenue Officer P.A. Sobha, she along with the MLA and others raided a belt shop opposite the district headquarters hospital and smashed liquor bottles on the road. Earlier, they took out a rally.

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