Amitesh Kumar Ojha, Kharagpur
Women as well as shopkeepers took out a procession in front of Kolaghat station by members of Kolaghat station and Road Setu Area Market Committee against the wide spread of long-running liquor and drugs around Kolaghat station premises under East Medinipur district. Hundreds of people participated in this program. The procession was led by Sheikh Ansar Ali, Sangeeta Das, Basanti Mandal and others.
Chairman of the committee Sheikh Ansar Ali said that as per the order of the Supreme Court, any drug and liquor business should be done within a distance of about 50 meters from the railway premises, but there are some slums adjacent to the platform number 3 of Kolaghat station. The spread of alcohol and leafy intoxicants has been happening for the last few days. Due to which the slum dwellers including the neighboring settlements are troubled. Due to this, other criminal incidents including theft and dacoity are increasing in the surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, some liquor vendors were caught by the market committee and handed over to the police. The secretary of the committee, Narayan Chandra Nayak, said that soon the matter would be brought to the notice of the administrative officials including excise. Purva Medinipur District Liquor and Narcostic Committee has given a memorandum to the OC of Kolaghat Circle of Excise Department today to take necessary steps in this regard. . Strict action is likely to be taken against the culprits soon.