Prakasam is ID liquor-free district: Kollu Ravindra

- Says Navodayam programme was successfully implemented in the district
- Lauds excise, revenue and police officials for putting in joint efforts to prevent manufacture of ID liquor in 29 villages

Ongole: Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra announced on Wednesday that Prakasam district is illicitly distilled (ID) liquor free district. He
said Navodayam is a programme to make each and every district of Andhra Pradesh an ID liquor free district and it was launched in
Prakasam district about three months ago.

The excise police raided the villages where ID liquor is manufactured, destroyed the equipment and raw materials used for its
preparation.

Kollu Ravindra said, “By the end of May, we want to make the State ID liquor free and are committed for it. In Prakasam district, the
excise, revenue and police officers identified about 29 villages near Chirala and Yerragondapalem where the manufacture of ID liquor was
taking place. I appreciate the officers involved in raiding the plants, motivating the public against the arrack. In the recent times, about
25 people have died in Amalapuram and 16 others died in Mylavaram consuming the arrack and methanol. We are ready to provide
alternative employment through SC, ST and BC finance corporations to those people who are manufacturing the ID liquor for extra
income.”

Damacharla Janardhan, Ongole MLA, and Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Kondepi MLA, said that the people are losing health and
suffering from eye and liver problems due to consumption of ID liquor. They appreciated the officers for making the district ID liquor
free.

Excise Commissioner Mukhesh Kumar Meena said that the arrack manufacturing is hard to control in the State. He said that his
department seized and destroyed 3 crore litres of jaggery syrup and 7 lakh litres of arrack in the State.

District Collector Sujata Sharma thanked the officials and the politicians for extending their cooperation in making the district ID liquor
free district.