Hyderabad: Protests are intensifying against the opening of toddy shops in the GHMC area. Women are strongly opposing the reopening of toddy shops near residential areas. They demand that the government should continue the ban on toddy shops imposed in 2005.
Due to protests from women the government could issue licences to only 10 toddy shops since October 3, the day the TRS government had formally launched the reopening of toddy shops on the occasion of Dasara.
Women say that their families would be affected if their husbands get addicted to toddy. They say there are no palm trees near the city and toddy shops would supply only adulterated toddy destroying the health of consumers. They also raised concerns about the safety of women, girls and children in localities where toddy shops function.
The residents of Chilakalaguda held a demonstration to pro-test the reopening of a toddy shop in their locality. Excise minister T. Padma Rao was supposed to open the toddy shop in Chilakalaguda. Women gathered in large numbers near the shop and raised slogans against the government. The minister was forced to leave without inaugurating the shop.
The residents of Domalguda also staged a dharna to protest the opening of a toddy shop in MCH quarters. The people of Vinaynagar MCH quarters and Eeshwaramma Colony marched to the excise office in Musheerabad and staged a dharna.
The residents of Old Safilguda also took out a rally to protest the reopening of a toddy shop in Moula Ali. They submitted an appeal to excise CI Srinivas Reddy and DCP Koteshwar Rao pointing out that the toddy shop is near a school and temple.
