Speaker expresses concern over liquor shop menace in Mah

Nagpur, Nov 23 (UNI) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar today expressed concern at the menace caused by the mushrooming of liquor shops in the state.

''The problem of the nuisance caused by liquor shops in residential areas is getting serious all over the state,'' Mr Kupekar remarked after Shobhatai Fadnavis (BJP) and several others raised the issue through a notice for an adjournment motion.

Mr Kupekar said the matter was serious and he had, therefore, accepted calling an attention motion on the same issue, which would come up before the House later.

Ms Fadnavis said liquor shops in residential areas were causing tremendous nuisance, especially to women from the area.

''I know that the government will not close down such shops as excise on liquor is a major source of revenue. However, such shops can be shifted outside villages and residential areas,'' she said.

Women from Rameshwari in Nagpur city were agitating against a liquor shop located right in the middle of a residential area, Ms Fadnavis said. The local administration recently held a poll of women, in which 42 per cent of them cast their ballot, she said.

However, the administration refused to initiate action on the ground that at least 50 per cent of the women in an area should participate in the voting, Ms Fadnavis said, and demanded that the rule be changed to provide for the removal of a liquor shop, if 50 per cent of the women participating in the ballot voted in favour of such action.

Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) said the Speaker should give the necessary directives to the government to resolve the issue.

UNI