Live
- Temple affairs a big task for EOs while few enjoy H.O. cushy stints
- RTA flounders on despatch of documents to motorists in city
- Police destroy ganja plantation
- UBI gesture to 3 welfare hostels
- Overwhelming response to Vijayawada Marathon
- Public Garden stepwell rots in apathy, walkers raise a stink
- Dinakar to send report to CM for justice to victims
- GHMC wakes up from slumber, out to tame stray dog menace
- Victoria Kjaer Theilvig: Denmark’s First Miss Universe Winner Makes History
- Health minister for action against ragging offenders
Police, Excise officials asked to clamp down on breweries
District Collector Ronald Rose on Thursday held a meeting with the officials of the police and the Excise Department to tackle the problem of ‘Gudumba’ (illicit liquor) that resurfaced in the district.
Mahbubnagar: District Collector Ronald Rose on Thursday held a meeting with the officials of the police and the Excise Department to tackle the problem of ‘Gudumba’ (illicit liquor) that resurfaced in the district.
It may be recalled that Mahbubnagar district was earlier given the ‘Gudumba-free’ tag in the State.
But the illicit liquor brewing has been taken up again in remote tribal villages of Nawabpet, Koikkonda, CC Kunta, Devarakadara, Hanwada, Addakal, Moosapet, Maddur, Gandweed and Dhanwada mandals. The tribals have restarted the Gudumba business to eke out a living.
Against this background, the district Collector at a meeting with the police and the officials of the Excise Department stressed the need to weed out the menace.
He directed the police and officials the Excise Department to act in coordination to eliminate the illicit brewing of liquor once and for all.
Earlier last year, Mahbubnagar was declared the first district in Telangana to be Gudumba-free.
However, during the past few months due to lack of follow-up measures, the problem has resurfaced.
Apart from it, the delay in providing rehabilitation to the families, which depended on illicit liquor brewing for their livelihood, is also said to have led to the problem resurfacing.
“The police raided our house last year and destroyed the liquor pots. They also booked cases and counselled us to give up the illegal activity.
Some officials visited our villages and also promised to secure loans for to take up self-employment, but till date no rehabilitation measures have been taken up.
Moreover the works under MGNREG programme are also not being taken up. We have no other source of income except selling ‘Gudumba’,” said a tribal woman from Thumkunta village of Pangal mandal.
Last year, the officials the Excise Department raided more than 30,000 houses in which manufacturing illicit liquor was carried out and booked cases and imposed fines on them between Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending up on the seriousness of the cases.
More than 1,000 tribal and poor families under other categories were identified as families exclusively depending on Gudumba selling for their livelihood.
The then district Collector T K Sridevi had directed the authorities of SC, ST and BC Corporations to extend financial support for rehabilitating these families on priority. However till date about 700 applications for rehabilitation are pending with these Corporations.
The problem has now assumed serious proportions with local goons and liquor mafia joining hands and trying to prevent the Excise officials from entering the villages to bust the illicit brewing of liquor.
A recent incident in Khila Ghanapur mandal where the Excise official party, who tried to raid a village, were beaten by the villagers, proved that menace has now posed a major threat.
“We are determined to weed out the menace. The police and the Excise officials have been directed to work in tandem to put down the illicit liquor brewing.
The retial and wholesale shop selling raw material like black jiggery and chemicals for Gudumba making will be booked,” said the Collector.
