Orissa: Maoists oppose Liquor Manufacturing unit in Gajapathi District

Naxals warn liquor traders

;Statesman News Service
PARALAKHEMUNDI, 5 AUG: Posters and pamphlets warning the liquor manufacturing unit owners have been found near the Uppalad village, thereby putting pressure on the administration who have allowed the opening of the unit despite objections and protests.

In fact Uppalad village was the hot bed for Naxal activities in Gajapati district a decade ago and two constables had been killed in a attack carried out by the radicals. The Naxalites had also killed in broad day light one of their cadres who had become a police informer, and this had marked the advent of Naxalism in Gajapati .

But over the last few years, the Left wing extremists appeared to have abandoned the area and shifted to Mohona block. Locals apprehend that the anti-liquor movement and inaction by police may provide the scope for Naxals to return to Uppalad area.

The government had planned to start a country liquor manufacturing unit here as per their new excise policy, but persistent objections by locals had delayed the proposed project.
The licensee of the liquor unit had moved the law court and obtained orders prompting the district administration to allow the opening which again faced resistance.

Interestingly, the latest posters and pamplets are in Telugu and they warned the owner to close the unit of face dire consequences. The Statesman