Nagoba jatara: Unauthorised sale of liquor around Keslapur irks Mesrams

In order to cash in on the ban of liquor, certain persons operate the belt shops in Muthnoor, Thosam, Indervelli mandal centre and surrounding villages situated around Keslapur by reportedly by bribing officials

Adilabad: Unauthorised sale of liquor is going unabated in the surrounding villages of Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal at the time of the annual Nagoba jatara fair, annoying the Mesram clan members, who are known to strictly adhere to ancient customs and traditions at the time of their important religious and cultural affair.

“Though sale of the alcohol is prohibited at the fair, illegal liquor points or belt shops continue to be operated in several parts of Indervelli mandal and surrounding habitations of Keslapur. Officials are not showing interest in curbing the menace even as we submitted pleas requesting them to check the sale of alcohol,” Mesram Koserao said.

---

In order to cash in on the ban of liquor, certain persons operate the belt shops in Muthnoor, Thosam, Indervelli mandal centre and surrounding villages situated around Keslapur by reportedly by bribing officials. They procure the alcohol from licensed shops in Adilabad town and some other places and sell it to youngsters by charging at least 20 percent higher rates than the maximum retail prices (MRP).

Apart from enhancing the cost, the operators of the belt shops sell spurious liquor to make hay since no government agency examines the samples of the drink. Tribals charged that the operators either dilute the drink or mix cheap liquor in the premium one to rake in the moolah, following lack of monitoring by officials.

Mesrams alleged that the belt shops were able to thrive following inaction by officials. They also said tribal youngsters were increasingly getting addicted to liquor like never before. “Tribals are booked for raising a single ganja tree, but no cases are registered against the operators of the belt shops,” Mesram Tukaram pointed out.

Prohibition and Excise Deputy Commissioner C Narasimha Reddy said three teams comprising an inspector, a sub-inspector and 16 constables were deployed to prevent sales of liquor at the fair and to avoid inconvenience to the Mesrams. He stated that the teams would enforce the law round the clock and stringent action would be taken against offenders.