Hyderabad: In Andhra Pradesh, if you want to buy alcohol, you need not go to a wine shop because alcohol may be available at your local pan shop, general store, or even medical store. As per a survey on belt shops conducted by the AP excise department, 48 per cent of people said that alcohol was available at pan shops, and 41 per cent that it was available in general stores.
Six per cent said that it was available in lodges, and four per cent that was available in medical stores. This indicates that the owners of wine shop are using pan shops, general stores, medical stores and lodges as belt shops. The excise department uses its app to conduct a survey regarding belt shops. Officials have asked if people know of belt shops being run in their localities, and 4,523 people have responded to the question.
A total of 82,996 people responded to questions regarding the steps taken by the government to have to belt shops shut down. Of these, 74,138 people, or 89 per cent, said that the steps taken by the state government have been good, 7,415, nine per cent, of the respondents, say that they have not been good, and the remaining 1,443 people did not have any knowledge about it.
In response to other questions, 7,165 people, 56 per cent of the respondents, said that belt shops had not been completely removed. 19 per cent that there are some loopholes in the implementation of measures, A total of 12 per cent said that the belt shops were receiving support from political leaders, and 13 percent that corrupt Excise officials are turning a blind eye to them.
To another question replied by 69,566 respondents, 89 per cent supportted the government’s decision to permit the sale of liquor until 10 pm, instead of 11 pm, and 11 per cent opposed. Of 4,747 respondents, 70 per cent said liquor shops were still operational in residential areas, nine per cent that they are able to run because of support from political leaders, four per cent say it is due to the negligence of Excise officials, and 17 per cent said that it was due to loopholes in the implementation of preventive measures.
