'Complete failure': Maharashtra lifts liquor ban in Chandrapur district

CHANDRAPUR: The Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Thursday lifted the long debated liquor ban in Chandrapur district. Minister for relief and rehabilitation, disaster management and guardian minister of Chandrapur, Vijay Wadettiwar, told media in Mumbai that the state cabinet decided to lift the ban “because it was a complete failure”.
Following the initiative taken by then finance and forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, the previous BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis had imposed the liquor ban in Chandrapur district on April 1, 2015. Fadnavis, now leader of oppositon in the assembly, termed the MVA government’s decision as unfortunate and one that will leave a long-term impact. “This also shows MVA government has different priorities when it should be focusing on Covid situation in the state,” he said.
Wadettiwar said the cabinet took the decision based on findings of a committee headed by retired former principal secretary Ramanath Jha, formed in January this year. The committee had submitted its report on March 9 this year. “The committee had found that illegal, spurious liquor sale had become rampant in the district after the ban. The crime rate in Chandrapur had also shot up. Offences were registered against over 4,000 women who were found directly involved in liquor-related crimes. Cases also came up against around 320 children in related offences,” he said.
A district-level committee formed in 2020 after Wadettiwar’s appointment as Chandrapur guardian minister had sought opinion of people’s representatives, organizations and individuals over the ban. Out of the over 2.6 lakh representations received by the committee, over 2.43 lakh had favoured lifting the ban as against over 25,000 who favoured its continuation.
Both the committees favoured lifting of ban after evaluating its social, financial, health and criminal impact. The ban had led to fall in revenue from Chandrapur district, impacted business, tourism and industries, as per the committees.
Around 44,000 offences were registered, illegal liquor worth Rs115 crore seized and over 47,000 persons were arrested for liquor smuggling and related crimes between April 2015 and December-end 2020.
As per the Jha committee, the state government lost revenue of Rs2,570 crore, including Rs1,606 rore in excise duty and Rs 964 crore in sales tax, during the five years.
A senior police officer was killed and many other cops were assaulted by liquor mafia during the probhibition period.
Slamming the MVA government for lifting the ban, Sudhir Mungantiwar said only an anti-people government can take such decision during a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic. “Instead of providing better treatment facility to patients, the government was focused on liquor throughout the year and even waived off liquor licence fee of Rs450 crores in the budget,” he said.
The former state finance minister also objected to the reason given that illegal liquor sale was behind revocation of prohibition. “But liquor is similarly sold in Wardha, which is a dry district. Government has now openly admitted its failure in controlling illegal liquor sale,” he said.
Activist Paromita Goswami, who had led the agitation to demand prohibition in the district, termed it as “illogical, unwarranted and anti-people decision”. “At time when WHO is suggesting controlling use of alcohol and abusive substances during the pandemic and people are facing livelihood issues, government has lifted the ban on liquor as if it is an essential commodity. What was the urgency?” she said.
MP Balu Dhanorkar, who had openly opposed prohibition, said it led to huge loss of revenue. “Tourism in Chandrapur was losing its sheen despite having global tourist attraction like Tadoba. Industrial labourers too suffered due to consumption of spurious liquor,” he said while welcoming the decision to lift the ban.
Chandrapur MLA Kishor Jorgewar said prohibition had led to rampant sale of illegal liquor, increased crime and narcotics sale, and caused heavy revenue loss for government.
Dhananjay Bapat, owner of a popular resort in Tadoba, claimed that the move will definitely help in boosting tourism. “Resorts aren’t allowed to provide liquor, but tourists having permit can enjoy liquor brought by them in their rooms. Lifting the ban would help in bringing more tourists to Tadoba,” he said.