VALPOI: Appearing firm on their decision to shut down all liquor outlets in the village, Surla villagers formed a Village Action Committee at a special meeting held on Sunday.
The villagers have demanded the special gram sabha discuss the issue of liquor bars.
Meanwhile, the Sattari Mamlatdar Dasharath Gawas has convened a meeting on July 19 to discuss the issue. The panel has 150 members of which 60 are women. Ganu Bhiva Gaonkar has been appointed as the committee president.
The villagers have been demanding the closure of all liquor outlets in the village, as they claim that the people frequenting these outlets especially tourists have causing been creating the law and order situation in village.
“We have faith in our leader Pratapsingh Rane and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane that they will provide justice to the village women and children for their better future, said Gayatri Gaonkar, a villager.
“Many people from village have lost their lives on account of alcohol consumption including our family members, claimed Lakshmi Gaonkar, another local.
“The bar owners had assured at the last meeting held in the temple that they will shut down the liquor bars voluntarily but they failed to do so. And for this reason we have decided to take the issue ahead,” said committee president Ganu Gaonkar.
According to sources, on Sunday evening Poriem MLA Pratapsing Rane paid a surprise visit to the village. Since all the bars owners were informed well in advance regarding Rane’s visit, the tourists visiting in Surla were forced to return to their respective places before the MLA’s visit.
The villagers urged the Poriem MLA to shut down the all liquor bars immediately.
Pratapsingh Rane assured the villagers to take up the issue of liquor outlets in Surla in the upcoming Assembly session. He also assured to take up the issue with the government to provide the relief to the villagers.
The liquor bars owners urged the MLA against shutting down their outlets as it is their only source of income. They demanded a police check post in village to control the nuisance.
The villagers on Sunday complained that drunken tourists were involved in rash and negligent driving in village and claimed that no police action was initiated against them.
