Expressing concern over the
hooch tragedy, which claimed the lives of 17 tribals at Mylavaram in Krishna district on New Year's eve, Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi on Monday wrote a letter to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, demanding compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the victims' families.
In the letter, Chiranjeevi asked the CM to take "stern" action against the guilty, and to provide medical assistance to those battling for life at the hospitals in Vijayawada.
Stating that such incidents would damage the party's image, Chiranjeevi appealed to the government to launch a campaign on prohibition, among the public.
Chiranjeevi accused the Excise Department of not taking adequate measures to check the sale of spurious liquor in the state. Saying that consumption of cheap liquor was responsible for the Mylavaram deaths, Chiranjeevi asked the government to take steps to sell liquor as per the government-fixed rates in order to prevent such incidents in future.
The Tirupati MLA also held Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu responsible for lifting the ban on liquor and giving liquor shops liberal permits.
He said that Naidu was now shedding "crocodile tears" on the incident in order to draw political mileage. (INN)