Women protest against liquor shops

Ongole: The women from a number of villages in the Prakasam district raised voice against the liquor shops being set up in their neighbourhood and protested before the prohibition and excise offices with the demand to immediately remove them.
In order to implement the Supreme Court directions, the government cancelled the licenses of liquor shops and bars nearer to the state and national highways and ordered to shift them inside the towns and villages.

But unable to find the perfect place for the shops, a number of shop owners choose residential areas, areas nearer to schools and religious places. The locals started to protest the decision of prohibition and excise department to give licenses to the shops in residential areas in the district.

The residents of Mandla Narayana Street and Gandhi Bazaar in Bestavaripet opposed the liquor shop. Dudekula Khasimbi, a resident of the area said, “In our area, there is a mandal Parishad primary school, an Anganwadi centre, and all others are families. At that location, the prohibition and excise department gave permission for a liquor shop.

How can the women and children in the area use the road once after the drunkards start staring at us? Who is responsible if they misbehave with the women here?” The women and locals protested in front of the prohibition and excise station in Bestavaripet and demanded immediate cancellation of the shop. They told the officials that they will not allow any liquor shop in the area and will vandalise it if it is forcefully opened.

The Sai Nagar area people Darsi staged a protest in front of the Tahsildar office and demanded the removal of a liquor shop in their area. The public from the Arabastan Street in Donakonda also protested in front of the Tahsildar office and submitted a representation to the Tahsildar.

The Sai Balaji Nagar residents of Podili laid siege of the prohibition and excise station and demanded the immediate closure of the liquor shop. The residents of AB Nagar in Parchur also laid siege of prohibition and excise station in Parchur for removal of a liquor shop in the area. The Rajanagar and Mundlapadu villagers in the Giddalur also demanded the prohibition and excise officers remove the liquor shop or leave it to them.

Vijayawada: Residents of Ballemvari veedhi, Ramavarappadu in the outskirts of Vijayawada staged a dharna for three hours on Monday protesting against the setting up of a bar in the colony.

The protestors mostly women strongly denounced the decision for setting up a wine shop in the locality and warned they would continue the agitation till the decision was withdrawn in this regard. Meanwhile, police posted tight security to prevent any untoward incident. Supporters of wine traders engaged in heated arguments with the women protestors and vowed to set up the bar in the locality.

Tenali: Women residing of Paladri Kalva near Rajaka Cheruvu area protested against setting up of wine shop in their locality. They have protested to mount pressure on the district administration to remove wine shops from their locality immediately. The women have been opposing for the last three days.

With the co-operation of police, wine shop owner shifted liquor stock into the shop. The angered women pelted stones at the liquor shop. The women who opposed setting up of wine shop, protested and raised slogans demanding to remove the wine shop. The wine shop staff and women pushed one another.

Later, women sat on the road and protested against setting up of wine shop in their locality and criticized that the government which failed to supply drinking water regularly, is now making liquor available in localities. Police registered the case and took up investigation.