CM rules out ban on areca, liquor

Tarikere (Chikmagalur dist), Jan 16: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that there was no proposal before the State or Central government to ban the sale of arecanut. He would not allow the ban, even if such a proposal were to come before him, the chief minister said.

He was speaking to reporters after launching several development works in the town.Siddaramaiah said the BJP was trying to gain political mileage out of the issue. He said that a public interest litigation had been filed in the Supreme Court in this regard and that an advocate had been appointed to argue the case in favour of the State government and the arecanut growers.

The chief minister said that Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had promised a delegation from Karnataka that there was no question of banning the sale of areca.

Dispelling fears of the growers, he said that the State would oppose any move to ban sale of arecanut. The chief minister asked arecanut growers not to heed the rumours being spread by BJP leaders in this regard. Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Jayaprakash Hegde expressed solidarity with the arecanut growers and said that they need not have any apprehensions.

Siddaramaiah also categorically refused to ban liquor in the State, as he thinks it will not be feasible.

The chief minister said that as long as people are addicted to alcohol, banning liquor will serve no purpose.

“People did not quit drinking even after arrack was banned. The addicts spend Rs 50 on liquor, while earlier arrack cost them Rs 25. The ban has only made them shell out more of their hard-earned money. It helped the government neither to protect their health nor to wipe the tears of the womenfolk in the families of the addicts. Those who were into arrack trade lost their livelihood and the poor became poorer. Even previously, I never endorsed sale of liquor. I also do not want to lift the ban on arrack. But I was against the ban as it only led to more problems than addressing any,” he said.

He said the Gujarat government had banned liquor, but could not prevent people from consuming alcohol.

The chief minister said the process of appointing chairpersons to academies will be completed in January. He was replying to the litterateurs' criticism that the government had delayed the appointment to the academies.

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DK-Udupi local authorities' constituency by-poll: 4 candidates – Cong, BJP, SDPI, Ind – in fray

News Network

October 8,2024

Mangaluru: The by-election to the legislative council from the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi local authorities' constituency will be a contest among four candidates. An independent candidate, Muhammed Riyaz, has withdrawn his nomination on Monday, the last day for withdrawal.

Deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP stated that candidates Kishore BR (BJP), Raju Poojary (Congress), Anwar Sadat S (SDPI), and Dinakar Ullal (independent) will be in the fray.

Polling will be held at 392 booths in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts between 8am and 4pm on Oct 21.

A total of 6,032 voters from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are eligible to vote. While there will be 234 polling booths in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi will have 158 stations. Gram panchayat members, corporators of the Mangaluru City Corporation, members of city municipal councils, town municipal councils, town panchayats, MLAs, MLCs, and Lok Sabha members are eligible to vote.

Election observer of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Pankaj Kumar Pandey, reviewed the poll preparations at the deputy commissioner's office on Monday. He issued directions to officials regarding arrangements to be made during the election and counting of votes.

The deputy commissioner stated that out of 6,032 voters, 3,127 are women and 2,905 are men. He said the counting of votes will be held at St Aloysius PU College in the city on Oct 24.

Udupi deputy commissioner Vidya Kumari K, city police commissioner Anupam Agrawal, Dakshina Kannada ZP CEO Anandh K, Dakshina Kannada SP Yathish N, Udupi SP Arun K, and additional deputy commissioners Santhosh Kumar G and Mamatha Devi were present.

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