the goan I network
Valpoi
The movement against liquor stores in Sattari Taluka’s Surla village gained steam on Sunday after villagers took to streets in support of their demands. A public meet in this regards was organised at the Sateri temple in the village. If their demands are not fulfilled, villagers have threatened to launch a ‘lock the homes’ agitation and come on the streets.
The public meet was called by Surla Village Action Committee (SVAC) which saw a large number of Surla locals participating in it. Besides, people from Karnataka villages of Kankumbi, Betne, Parwad and Maan also attended the meeting.
It may be recalled that there have been numerous reports of drunk tourists visiting the village creating nuisance in public.
Villagers allege that liquor stores patronised by tourists visiting Surla are one of the reasons why the tourist later end up creating public nuisance. That is one of the reasons why the locals are vehemently determined to shut them down. They have so far submitted petitions to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, local MLA Pratapsing Rane, Health Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajeet Rane and several government and police officials.
Responding to the strong concern expressed by the residents of Surla village, the North Goa Collectorate issued a directive to shut down all liquor stores operating in the village from July 20 to August 20. However, the villagers have continued with their demand on shutting these liquor stores permanently.
The villagers now suspect that these stores may reopen on August 21 once the collectorate order expires. In the meeting held on Sunday, the villagers have threatened to launch ‘lock the homes’ agitation against the liquor stores and take to the streets till their demands are fulfilled.
Speaking on the occasion Social Activist Pandurang Gaonkar claimed that some of the liquor store owners have claimed that they are backed by both the local MLAs, Pratapsingh Rane and Vishwajit Rane. Since the agitation is for the betterment of the villagers, both the MLAs will surely be on the side of the villagers in shutting the liquor stores permanently.
PushpaNaik, Zilla Parishad member of Karnataka’s Kankumbi village, said that all the villages on Karnataka’s side of the border will also be satisfied if liquor stores in Surla are shut. She attributed nuisance caused by drunk tourists in the villages to be due to these liquor stores.
