Kharghar liquor free zone? Minister says 25% residents need to demand it

The demand has been made for years and it has now become even more necessary as Kharghar has become an educational hub where a large number of youngsters are residing. They need to be protected from the menace.

NAVI MUMBAI

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The wait for official declaration of Kharghar as a no liquor zone has got even longer despite resolutions passed by erstwhile gram panchayat and Panvel municipal corporation (PMC) following large scale protests by residents.

State excise minister Shambhuraj Desai has stated that these resolutions matter little. He has said that 25% of the residents of the node need to demand the dry zone with the district collector first for the process of referendum to begin.

According to Desai, “The three liquor licence permissions given in the region in 2004, 2015 and 2022 are as per excise department norms laid down.”

On the ban demand, he said, “Resolutions have been passed by gram panchayat and PMC. However if you want an excise department licenced shop is to be shut, there should be a demand for it by 25% of the population with the district collector.”

He added, “The collector then holds a referendum on it. The rules says that over 50% of those on the voter list should vote for it. If the majority votes for the shop it will continue, else it will be shut. If all this process is followed we shall definitely take the demand into account.”

Said Thakur, “The demand has been made for years and it has now become even more necessary as Kharghar has become an educational hub where a large number of youngsters are residing. They need to be protected from the menace.”

He added, “The gram panchayat had in 1995 passed a resolution to keep Kharghar alcohol free. PMC too has passed a similar resolution. Residents are upset that despite the opposition, some permits have been given in the region.”

Lamented Thakur, “The government says that the PMC administrative resolution is not in confirmation with the government notification. How should it have been then? Taking into account the sentiments of the residents, the government needs to take the initiate in a time bound manner?

Said Thakur, “The government has to act on this as the demand has already been made repeatedly. It needs to tell us how long it will take.”

`Sangharsh’ an NGO, a federation of social, educational and trade associations, women groups and other organisations which is spearheading the movement since 2007, has dismissed the minister’s statement.

Alleged Sanjay Jadhav, who leads the NGO, ‘The minister is misleading both the public and the media. He is talking of the procedure to shut a single shop in a locality. We are demanding a complete alcohol ban in the region for which provisions exist in the law.”

He stated, “The government can ban liquor in a village area, a city or even the entire State sans any referendum. The constitution also states that it is the responsibility of the government to control substances like alcohol.

He added, “The state government has done this in the entire Chandrapur district and also Wardha and Gadchiroli. Why can’t it be done in Kharghar? Obviously there is lack of political will.”

Taking on the law, the minister referred to Jadhav said, “The Maharashtra Prohibition Act 1949 amended in 1953 is flawed as it requires 51% of all those on the voting list in the area to vote or 51% of the women voters on the list. If the authorities really want to give justice, the poll should be conducted as is done by the election commission. It should be a case of a simple majority of the votes cast that should decide if the area remains alcohol free or not.”

Supporting the ban, political analyst Ravi Srivastava, 68, chairman of Om Sai CHS located in sector 7 said, “Locals have for years ensured that the eco-system here remains peaceful as a large number of students study here in top institutions. As a responsible citizen, I fully support the call.”

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Not everyone pleased with ban call

Not everyone is pleased though. Said Prakash Malhotra, 35, a resident, “If you really want alcoholism to stop, do it yourself and in your family. Don’t expect the government to do everything.”

Santosh Shetty, patron member of Navi Mumbai Hoteliers Association, who runs Three Star Hotel in Kharghar said “There are several illegal liquor dens here. Who will be responsible if there is any catastrophe due to spurious liquor? The government too is losing out on crores of rupees in revenue. There have also been several accidents as people go out to drink in nearby nodes and return.”

Added Shetty, “There are more educational institutions in Nerul than Kharghar but there are never alcohol related issues here and hence all the talk about educational hub doesn’t hold.”