Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Women gherao excise official

By Our Staff Reporter

ONGOLE JUNE 4. Activists of four women organisations, affiliated to the Left parties, gheraoed the State Excise and Prohibition Commissioner, Banwarlal, at the railway station here on Thursday demanding withdrawal of the Government's decision of permitting bars and restaurants to keep open till midnight, removal of belt shops and implementation of total prohibition in the State.

The district Collector, R. Karikal Valaven, the Joint Collector, G. Balaramiah, the DRO, A. Dinakar Babu, and the Excise Superintendent, N. Shailaja, who came to the station to receive the senior IAS officer, were also held up as the agitators obstructed their movement demanding decision on the spot on the issue of imposition of curbs on belt shops.

They gheroaed the officials for nearly half-an-hour and entered into a heated argument with them. Mr. Banwarlal and Mr. Valaven tried in vain to convince the women activists to meet them at the Collectorate to hold talks on the issue. The police stood guard to the visiting official. As the agitators insisted on announcement of a decision on removal of belt shops, Mr. Lal wanted them to provide details of the shops.

The Progressive Organisation of Women (POW) district Secretary, B. Ramasundari and the PDSU, president, Srujana, and other activists contended that it would not be an exaggeration if it was said that only a couple of villages were free from the menace of belt and unlicensed shops. They also alleged that the excise officials though were aware of the presence of such shops not taking any action and moreover forcing the customers to purchase liquor from the belt shops.

The agitators submitted a memorandum to Mr. Banwarlal and the latter assured them of taking action on illegal liquor outlets and restricting the timings of bars and restaurants.

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