Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday held a meeting at the State Secretariat on Friday to review the new Excise Policy of Telangana Government.
Excise Minister T Padma Rao, Principal Secretary Revenue (Excise & Commercial) Ajay Mishra, Excise Commissioner Chandravadan, Principal Secretary to CMO S Narsing Rao, Additional Secretary Shantit Kumari and other senior officials of Excise Department participated in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said before the announcement of new policy, efforts should be made to enforce total ban on manufacture and sale of 'Gudamba' (illicit liquor). He said several deaths have been reported due to consumption of 'Gudamba' and women organisations have been hold protest against the same. He expressed concern over ineffectiveness of enforcement against 'Gudamba'. He said the cheap and easily available liquor has been proving too costly for the lives and health of hundreds of poor people.
KCR directed the officials to take immediate steps to eradicate the menace of 'Gudamba' from Telangana State.
The Chief Minister also asked the officials to keep a watch on smuggling of illicit liquor from villages to Hyderabad. He asked the Excise Department to seek the help of civil police, whenever required. He said he would soon convene a meeting with the senior officials to discuss the coordination among Excise and Police departments across the State.
KCR recalled that consumption of toddy was very high in Telangana in the past. However, due to the wrong policies of previous rulers, toddy was replaced with 'gudamba' and illicit liquor. He asked the officials to plant 5 crore toddy trees around lakes across the State. He said a nursery would be established for Excise Department to promote cultivation of toddy trees.