Excise dept gets ready to tighten noose around wine shops

Khammam: Following the Supreme Court’s verdict, the excise department gearing up to tighten its noose around the liquor shops located along the State and national highways The apex court on December 15 announced the ban on sale of liquor along the state and national highways from April 1, 2017.

Meanwhile, the people are curious to know what would be the official reaction to the apex court decision in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, where a majority of liquor shops are located along the highways.

The two districts account for a total liquor sales of Rs 100 crore. In the two districts, the demonetisation has zero impact on liquor sales as they are mostly located close to the highways. As the liquor shops adjacent to highways became a hot topic, district officials gathered information about those located within 100-meter radius of the highways.

To their shock, in Khammam and Kothagudem, 90 per cent of the wine shops are located close to the highways. In fact, 60 per cent of the liquor shops in the two districts are within 100 meters radius from the highways. About 90 per cent of the liquor shops will forfeit their licence if the ban on liquor shops comes into effect. The Excise department has asked the liquor shop owners to close their shops along highways and relocate to an alternative site as it would not renew their licences as the excise year in the State concludes on September 30, 2017. The liquor traders are curious to know whether the State government would seek special permission from March to September or should they move beyond 500 meters.

The Supreme Court gave a ruling to avoid road accidents on highways. Official statistics put the cause for a majority of road accidents to driving under the influence of alcohol. The casualties due to road accidents in the two districts are also very high.
In fact, 35 to 40 per cent of the road accidents are due to driving under the influence of alcohol.

Even dhabas are selling liquor greasing the palms of police authorities though they are prohibited from selling liquor. According to an official estimate, there are over 250 dhabhs on highways in the two districts. Measures to prevent them from selling liquor should be
initiated.

Pragati Mahila Samakhya convener Premalata told The Hans India that accused the dhaba owners of paying monthly ‘hafta’ to the police. She expressed her concern over increasing road accidents as the liquor shops were not sticking to the working hours.
In Khammam rural district, Raghunadhapalem, Kothagudem and Palvancha and other areas, the officials are not paying attention to sale of liquor in Dhabas, she claimed.

Women Empowerment president Mandapalli Uma urged the Excise and Police departments to work with greater coordination for implementing the apex court orders. Excise superintendent Ganesh told The Hans India that they would initiate action once a clear picture on state's policies in the light of the Supreme Court verdict emerged.