Liquor ban in Chandrapur has failed: Min

Chandrapur: Recent attack on a police sub-inspector by liquor smugglers in the city has once again stirred the debate on effectiveness of liquor ban in the district.
Disaster management, relief and rehabilitation minister and guardian minister of Chandrapur Vijay Wadettiwar has added fuel to the debate by saying prohibition is not a solution for de-addiction, it needs effective awareness.
Wadettiwar, who has always been a supporter of lifting of prohibition, had announced a committee to review the impact of prohibition during his first visit to the city as guardian minister.
In a statement given to media persons on Tuesday, the minister claimed liquor ban has been imposed in Chandrapur out of vote bank politics.
“Even after prohibition was imposed five years ago, it failed to curb liquor smuggling and its sale. A police officer was killed and there had been many instances of attack on cops by smugglers,” he said.
Wadettiwar said either the government will have to take stern measures to curb liquor smuggling, and if it fails, then there is only alternative left but to lift the liquor ban.
The committee headed by district collector Kunal Khemnar had submitted its report in the third week of March. The report comprises 2.82 lakh opinions from people, institutions and organizations. Interestingly, 2.61 lakh opinions favoured revoking the ban, whereas only 20,585 supported its continuation.
The committee had evaluated various aspects of the prohibition and its impact, domestic violence, crime, health, revenue, industries, business, tourism etc.