Dimapur, Mar 24: Several civil society organisations (CSOs) that have been advocating for lifting of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act in Dimapur district on Monday resolved to submit a representation to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio within this month.
The Dimapur-based civil society groups held a meeting during the day and claimed that the NLTP Act is a “failure”.
Illicit liquor poses a health hazard as it is widely available, while the government is losing revenue, those who demand repeal of the prohibition law argue.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Secretary of the Committee for Repeal of NLTP Act, Dr Kahuka Sema said they decided to meet the chief minister and submit the representation in the next few days.
He acknowledged the difficulty of the state government taking action but expressed confidence that the underlying logic would eventually lead them to repeal the Act.
Sema said the Committee has already planned how to go about whether NLTP is lifted or not lifted.
He said following a series of consultative meetings with CSOs including student bodies and village councils from Dimapur and East Dimapur, it has become clear that the NLTP Act is a failure.
“Nearly 80 per cent of the organisations we consulted now agree that the Act should be lifted in favour of a more practical approach,” Sema said.
Earlier, Dimapur Area Baptist Churches had urged the state government not to consider lifting the NLTP Act in the Christian-majority state for revenue generation, socio-economic and health concerns.(PTI)
