The Milita Odisha Nisha Nibaran Abhiyan (MONNA), a body demanding total prohibition in the State, on Tuesday asked the State Government to make provision of seeking opinion of the local people through holding Gram Sabhas before giving permission to open liquor outlets at any place.
“Notices should be sent to all villages through the respective panchayats/ local authorities for effecting special Gram Sabha/ Palli Sabha for the particular purpose of opening liquor outlets and the videography of the same to be obtained/ retained for future reference,” the MONNA said in a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
The State Government has issued notices for public opinion and putting up grievances on annual renewal of the existing and planned new outlets for sale of liquor through Collectors of districts, the MONNA said.
It seems that with some malafide intension, the notice was sent in local language (Odia) but in English to avoid public protest, the memorandum said.
Claiming that MONNA members have found liquor shops adjacent to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, near educational institutions, hospitals and temples, the letter alleged that licences of liquor shops have also been given adjacent to villages and at the heart of the towns and in purely residential areas disregarding protest of the local people.
Demanding issuance of a fresh public notices in Odia language in all leading newspapers of the State, the MONNA said a detailed list of the existing and proposed liquor outlets should be published for the year 2014-15.