Panchayats seek more time for resolutions against liquor vends

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, January 6

Many newly elected panchayats from various districts want to pass resolutions to close liquor vends under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, in their villages. Due to the elections, their predecessors failed to pass resolutions before the September 30 deadline.

On Sunday, many panchayats, led by NGO Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum (SASWF), wrote to the Chief Minister in this regard.

“This year, panchayats could not pass anti-liquor resolutions. Since the conclusion of panchayat elections, we have received many calls from panchayats that want to pass resolutions. Today, we have written to the Chief Minister seeking extension in deadline at least till the first week of February,” said Dr AS Mann, president of Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum.

Mann, along with some other NGOs, has been working since 2009 to motivate panchayats to fight against liquor vends in their villages.

Figures show that from 2009 to 2017, 994 panchayats passed resolutions to close liquor vends in their villages, of which 493 were accepted by the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department. Out of these, 166 were closed in Sangrur district itself.

“The CM must look into the matter and extend the deadline,” said Harpal Singh Cheema, Leader of Opposition, after meeting some newly elected panchayat members at his Sangrur residence.

When contacted, Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said he was busy in a meeting.

Newly elected Balad Kalan sarpanch Gurdev Singh along with other sarpanches from Sangrur constituency, who had come to meet Cabinet minister Vijay Inder Singla at his Sangrur residence today, also raised the issue before him.