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A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Goa has demanded in the legislative assembly that the consumption of alcohol be banned in the coastal state to make it 'viksit' or developed and to curb loss of lives in liquor-related accidents on roads and in factories.
The legislator, Premendra Shet, stressed this point while speaking in the House on Tuesday over demands for grants for the state excise department.
"For viksit Bharat and viksit Goa, the consumption of alcohol should be banned in Goa. We can produce alcohol in the state and export it to other states, but its consumption in Goa should be banned," Shet, a first-time BJP MLA representing Mayem assembly constituency in North Goa, said.
There are deaths on roads due to accidents and also in industrial units and the main reason for this is increasing alcohol consumption in the state, he said.
The legislator alleged that there was no control on the sale of liquor in the state.
"Retail outlets sell liquor beyond the permissible timings and wholesalers sell alcohol for retail customers. Alcoholism is on rise in Goa and we need to control this," he said.
The MLA pointed out that there is already a ban on the consumption of alcohol in four other states, and Goa should also join the list.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who responded to various questions raised during discussion on demands for grants for the excise department, made no statement on the ban on alcohol consumption in Goa.
Talking to reporters later outside the assembly complex, Shet said the ban on alcohol was necessary to save lives.
When asked what the people currently engaged in the liquor business would do if the ban is imposed, Shet said, "Let them shift to other businesses."
He also claimed that there would be no impact on tourism in case of liquor ban.
Tourism is considered the backbone of Goa's economy and among other things, the state is known for its night-long parties.
As per the data shared by the Goa government, on an average, three to four cases of chronic alcoholism were reported daily at government-run de-addiction facilities in the state in the past five years.
Chronic alcoholism is a medical condition characterised by a long-term, compulsive pattern of excessive alcohol consumption. The Goa government has set up the special facilities in the state's both districts to help people struggling with dependence on alcohol and drugs.