BERHAMPUR: The officials of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh would conduct joint patrolling in border areas, particularly in Ganjam border, to prevent the illicit flow of liquor in both the states.
A coordination meeting between the district administrations in Ganjam, a border district in Odisha and excise officials in Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, was held at Chhatrapur on Saturday to chalk out plans for the joint patrolling and to coordinate between the two states to arrest the cross border flow of liquor in the two states.
We have planned to conduct joint patrolling in the border area and to maintain coordination to stop the flow of illicit liquor”, excise superintendent, Berhampur, Duryodhan Panigrahi, said.
In order to intensify the patrolling in the border areas, Ganjam district administration has also planned to strengthen the excise staff in border area.
“We will meet again in next ten days to evolve the strategies” he said.
While Andhra Pradesh government has imposed ban on circulation of country-made liquor, they suspected that such liquor could flow illegally from the border districts of Odisha.
“Not onlydo we lose excise revenue, but there is apprehension of hooch tragedy in border areas” said a senior district officer in Ganjam district.
‘On the ocassion of New Year, we have decided to intensify patrolling in border area to prevent the possibility of hooch tragedy” he added.
The coordination meeting assumes significance in the wake of the recent hooch tragedy in Andhra Pradesh, which had claimed at least five lives in Krishnalanka and Vijayawada.
Similarly, in Ganjam district, around 50 persons died and several others became blind in the hooch tragedies that had taken places in Humma, Golabandh, Purushottampur areas about seven years ago.
Meanwhile, several women in Daringibadi area in Kandhamal district have urged the government to declare Daringibadi block as totally dry. Nari Mahasangha-the organisation of women was spearheading agitation in the area for total ban of the liquor in the area. PTI