Lok Satta demands ban on liquor

Visakhapatnam, June 11 (UNI) Lok Satta Party Convener Jayaprakash Narayan today urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to either ban liquor in the state or run liquor shops on its own by limiting the number to less than 1,000 across the state.

Mr Jayaprakash, who was here to attend a function, said the state government should take stringent action in this regard. The government's decision to hike the auction price by 15 per cent would lead to a spurt in the business of belt shops.

He said at present, there were 6,500 shops in the state with each mandal having six to seven shops. High licensing fees apart from sales and excise taxes were forcing the traders to search for new modes of business such as setting up of belt shops.

Meanwhile, President of 'Telugu Mahila', the TDP's women's wing, actress Roja, addressing a dharna, organised by the party in protest against auctioning of wine shops in front of the office of the Excise Superintendent here, said it was women who were suffering due to belt shops.

The state government's liquor policy was destroying the poor and middle class families, she alleged.

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