Panel to study demand for prohibition in Chandrapur

State BJP president and MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar on Friday made a strong case for clamping prohibition in entire Chandrapur district. Tabling an unofficial bill on Mumbai Prohibition (amendment) Act 2009, the BJP MLA drew the attention of the House to the issue that was highlighted when hundreds of women from that district marched from Chimur to Nagpur. Led by social activist Paromita Goswami under the banner of Shramik Elgar, the women, who tried to reach the Vidhan Bhavan in session, tried to focus on how addiction to liquor was ruining social fabric.

Mugantiwar stressed that besides the licensed shops, illegal distilleries in villages provided cheap liquor and more and more men were falling prey to the vice disturbing family peace. He said there was urgent need to ban the production and sale of liquor in the district so that youth and men are weaned away from the bottle. He suggested that a three-member committee, headed by district guardian minister Sanjay Deotale with eminent social activists Dr Abhay Bang and Dr Vikas Amte as members, be formed to study the social problems that drinking was causing in the district.

Minister of state Rajendra Mulak gave an assurance that a committee would be formed soon after the current legislature to examine the matter. After the committee submits its report to the government, a policy decision can be taken, Mulak said.

Action on Tahsildar: Earlier, bowing to pressure from members on both sides, revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat assured the House that woman tehsildar S Chavan of Bhudargad in Kolhapur district would be transferred for illegally felling a teak tree and allowing to setting up a mobile tower in government premises.

Several members, including the MLA representing the area took strong objection when Thorat said an official inquiry by the district authorities did not establish any wrong-doing by the tehsildar. Contesting the report, they said not only was she involved in tree felling but she also refused to accept a transfer order.

Talathi faces action: Revenue minister Thorat also assured a strict action against a Talathi (land revenue official) of Rajapur taluka in Ratnagiri district for willfully manipulating land records so as to dispossess rightful owners of thousands of acres of land. The said Talathi, Haridas Deolekar, had doctored the 7/12 title papers of land at Sagwe Gothiware during 1996 to 2003. While, the minister admitted that the said official was prima facie found guilty, no chargesheet was filed against him in the court. Thorat said a criminal case will now be filed against the official.