Liquor Control Movement Committee (LCMC) has demanded that the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments remove the liquor shops on the national and State highways.
LCMC leaders, at a round table held at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram on ‘Roads and Liquor Shops’ have demanded that the two Telugu State governments remove 1500 liquor shops located on the national and State highways. LCMC State convener V Laxmana Reddy presided over the meeting.
Committee chairman former judge Dr Ambati Laxmana Rao has said a high-level committee appointed by the Supreme Court had directed the States to remove the liquor shops located on the national and State highways by December 31 to prevent ghastly road accidents. He also asked the two Telugu State governments to implement the same immediately.
Welcoming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement that he would enforce complete a total ban on liquor from April 1, 2016, Laxmana Rao said that already Gujarat, Kerala, Nagaland, Manipur and Lakshadweep were implementing liquor ban. He also asked the Telugu State governments to control liquor first and finally implement the total liquor ban.
V Laxmana Reddy said one person was dying in a road accident for every four minutes. India has 47 lakh kilometer road after America and road accidents were taking place in India every minute. Both Telugu States have to set up lead agencies with adequate officials to monitor road safety. Road accidents and deaths were highly place in India only, he added.
Freedom fighter Mallu Swarajyam said total liquor ban was possible only with movements. Liquor has become a monster to the poor women and Telugu States have failed to control the belt shops, she lamented. Good Governance Forum secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said there was a dire need to fight against spurious toddy, which was destroying health of the poor.
Mana Telangana Telugu daily editor K Sreenivas Reddy faulted the two Telugu States saying that both were not even spending a single rupee to spread the message that liquor consumption is injurious to health also future of the family. He also said the two governments have miserably failed in establishing de-addiction centers to give counseling to alcoholics. Sakshi Telugu daily executive editor R Dileep Reddy opined that there was a need to launch a movement from village to State level.
Former additional commissioner of Road Transport Authority CLN Gandhi lamented that the governments have failed to remove the liquor shops located on the highways though the Supreme Court directed the States in this regard for the past two years. APSA director S Srinivas Reddy has said they would float a broad forum by inviting all political leaders, women organizations, public organizations and intellectuals at Guntur and Hyderabad on December 2 simultaneously. “We will strive for a complete ban on liquor while waging war against liquor”, he said.
Madhya Vimochana Prachara Committee former chairman Uppuluri Mallikharjuna Sharma urged the Centre to take special interest in this regard to implement complete liquor ban at national level. Badugu Chaithanya Samithi founder president G Saradha Goud and other women unions’ leaders also spoke. (NSS)