Gadchiroli Feb. 18 (District Correspondent) Gadchiroli Zilla Darubandi Sangathana President Dr. Abhay Bang and Vice President Devaji Tofa have strongly opposed the public hearing to be held on March 9 next by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for the Mohaful Liquor Manufacturing Project.
They have sent a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Secretary of Health Department, Environment Forest and Climate Change, District Collector of Gadchiroli District, demanding cancellation of the said public hearing.
As per the letter Chief minister and Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli Devendra Fadnavis has directed to suspend all the permits regarding the LTB Beverages Chamorshi Ethanol Manufacturing Project in Gadchiroli district. In fact, he has also given an assurance in the Legislative Council that no such factory will be set up in Gadchiroli district. In such a situation, we have a serious objection to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board organizing a public hearing regarding the said project, Dr. Bang and Tofa have said.
The Maharashtra government has imposed liquor ban in Gadchiroli district since 1993. There are liquor ban organizations in 1100 villages in the district, and illegal liquor sale is completely banned in 750 villages, which is around 50 percent in the district. Therefore, holding a public hearing on this project will harm the liquor ban in the district, the duo has said.
Liquor ban has been in force in Gadchiroli district for the last 32 years. Muktipath, a pilot project under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, has been running in the district since 2016. In order to prevent the said mahua liquor factory being opened in Gadchiroli district, a total of 85201 citizens of 1114 villages in the district, 170 wards of 12 cities, 14 tribal area assemblies and taluka gram sabha federations, as well as youth from 63 colleges have passed 1405 proposals which have been submitted to the then Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister, it has been pointed out.
The then Deputy Chief Minister had said that no such factory will be set up in the district. No such factory is wanted in this district; the interest of the people lies in liquor freedom, not in liquor factories, said the letter and has demanded that the public hearing regarding the project be immediately cancelled.
