A delegation of Telugu Desam leaders led by party supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu met Governor E S L Narasimhan on Saturday and submitted a memorandum on the increased production, distribution and promotion of liquor products in the State.
The consumption of liquor has reached monumental proportion in the state. It has more than doubled in the last six years specially after the Congress came back to power, alleged the TDP chief.
The State government, which promised phased implementation of prohibition has, in practice, squeezed the money from the poor making them still poorer. Chandrababu urged the Governor to see to it that no wine shops are set up near the schools, colleges, and temples.
To promote sales, the government is allowing timings beyond reasonable limits, so he demanded the Government to implement strict timings for the sale of liquor at wine shops. The wine shops are being converted into bars causing nuisance to the public, the former chief minister lamented.
Chandrababu urged the Governor to see to it that the belt shops are closed.It is unfortunate that the State government, which acts as a welfare state is exploiting the weakness of the poor people. Almost one- third of the population in the state is addicted to alcohol which is a very sorry state of affairs. ''Why don’t you do something to stall this tragedy,'' he asked the Governor.
''It is very difficult to control prohibition, but if you try to implement prohibition, we will be very happy,'' Chandrababu concluded.