Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Tuesday directed the Government to desist from setting any targets for sale of liquor in rural areas and stop illegal sale of liquor in villages.
Endorsing the views of Congress member Tukaram, he said people’s lives are more important than excise sales targets. Senior officials who set such sales targets should be made to camp in villages for some time so that they would come to know how their action has created a negative impact.
Mr. Tukaram alleged that even degree college students had become alcoholic in some of the villages in his constituency of Sandur.
However, Excise Minister K. Gopalaiah denied that such targets had been set. He said he would soon hold a meeting of officials in this regard.
