Kothapalli Samuel Jawahar vows arrack-free AP

Eluru: Excise minister Kothapalli Samuel Jawahar said that a team would be sent to Gujarat to study the implementation of Liquor ban in that State.He told the media at ZP Guesthouse here on Thursday afternoon that the liquor ban, which was implemented during 1994-1996, was a failure and commented that even the God could not stop the surapanam (the liquor consuming by the Gods) and how as a common man he can stop the liquor.

Highlights:

• A study team to visit Gujarat to observe implementation of Liquor ban in State
• Promises to control spurious liquor
• Assures closure of belt shops

The study team consisting of higher officials will tour the Gujarat and study all aspects of liquor ban, he added. The minister noted that all districts in the state will be declared as arrack-free districts and already 10 districts had become arrack-free, he pointed out. He said the government had succeeded in eradicating the arrack in the state. He stated that steps will be taken up to control the spurious liquor to make the state as Arogya Andhra Pradesh.

Promising to close belt shops in the state, the minister made it clear that no amount of political pressure would deter him from discharging his duties sincerely. He said that within two days a new policy will be announced on bars after conducting a meeting with the bar owners. As per Supreme Court direction, the liquor shops in the radius of 500 km of national highways would be closed. He said his first signature was on this file only.

Jawahar stated that the department would give group SIM cards to sub-inspector cadre employees in the excise department and added so far this facility was only accorded to circle-inspectors. He said that he could not see the excise department as income sources. Of the Rs 1.54 lakh crores budget of Andhra Pradesh, only RS 4,000 crore to 5,000 crore is being earned through excise.

He said the excise Navodayam programme will be extended to all the constituencies in the state and as per the ratio of the people, de-addiction camps either in constituencies or in mandal level would be opened. To avoid the spurious liquor, it was proposed to pack the liquor in tetra packs, he added. He noted that soon promotions would be given to the excise officials as the strength is low. As many as 6,120 personnel are working in the department and another 1,200 posts were vacant.

Referring to Vijayawada Swarna Bar case, he said stringent action would be initiated in this regard against the guilty. ZP chairman Mullapudi Bapiraju, Tanuku MLA Arimilli Radhakrishna, excise commissioner Mukesh Kumar Meena, state Handicrafts Development corporation chairman Pali Prasad and others were present.