Praja Ballot on liquor shops

Visakhapatnam: All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA)-Vizag chapter has been organising 'Praja Ballot' in several parts of the city to seek public view on whether liquor shops be located near schools, religious shrines and residential colonies.

The 'Praja Ballots' were organised at the Collectorate, Maddilapalem, One Town and other crowded areas in the city. It was seen many citizens casting their vote on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media, AIDWA city secretary RN Madhavi demanded that the government control the sale of liquor and take steps to completely ban it.

"Liquor outlets are playing a spoilsport in so many families and have become sole reason for financial crisis and family disputes," she said.

Demanding that the state government should scrap the new liquor policy, zonal leaders of AIDWA asserted that the Chief Minister's orders to take stringent action on belt shops was the initial victory for their anti-liquor movement.

Under the aegis of 'Madhya Vyatireka Porata Aikyavedika' the women groups in the state called for 'Chalo Vijayawada' campaign on September 15. AIDWA members called upon the women to join the public meeting in Vijayawada to make the government understand intensity of the issue.