Kerala Bishops council asks government to close down liquor shops

September 5, 2009
Kerala Bishops council asks government to close down liquor shops
KOCHI:The Kerala Bishops Council, highest decision making body of the Catholic church in the state on Saturday asked the state Government to close down all liquor shops as per the Central Government's directive, on highways and busy roads.
In a statement issued by the KCBC it is due to drunken driving that the number of accidents on highways and busy roads increase. The statement also points out that the finding comes from government agencies conducting surveys on road accidents.
The statement undersigned by Archbishop Dr. Daniel Acharuparambil says, “Instead of coming out with proper anti-liquor campaigns, the state government with just the single motive of increasing tax revenue through sale of liquor, is causing great harm to the society at large by giving sanction to more such shops. This has to stop immediately."
Liquor sales in the state had touched an all time high with the ongoing onam celebrations with 34 crores. And the state planning board conducting a survey on the road accidents have come forward with their findings as there were 27,972 accidents in 2008 in which 32,934 people got injured and 2,868 people lost their lives.
End of the story