Indore District Excise department’s this year revenue collection after the auction of around 180 composite liquor shops and around 120 bars is around Rs 1400 crore but the smuggling of liquor in the entire district is going on frequently in Indore urban and rural area.
The main reason why the Indore excise department is unable to control the liquor smuggling is due to acute shortage of ADEO rank officers as there are total 15 excise circle in Indore district but presently the number of ADEOs posted in Indore district is only 8 and hence some ADEOs are looking after 2 or 3 circles hence it becomes very difficult for them to keep vigilance in extra circles.
The liquor smugglers are well aware of this fact that ADEO is absent in their area and no body can catch them hence they carry large amount of illegal liquor from the licenced shops on two wheelers and four wheelers. Besides catching the liquor smugglers in their concerned circle the ADEO is also responsible to check the licenced shops of their area as if there is no hoarding of illegal liquor without permit in shops but due to shortage of ADEOs the licence shops remain unchecked. Interestingly the ADEOs who are Incharge of rural Indore including Mhow Depalpur Sanwer tehsil don't daily go to their tehsil office and if they go also they leave their rural tehsil office and return to district headquarter.
The state government has banned the ahata still a hall made of steel structure with tin roof which is running at maximum licenced shops of Indore district but the excise department Indore has not taken any interest to remove ahata. All the 8 ADEO and several excise inspectors are posted in Indore for more than 5 years but they are not transferred by state government.
Sources say the liquor contractors are in friendly terms with few ADEOs who are posted in Indore for many years.