lack of will on the part of the state Government has resulted in the holy city becoming a hub of illicit liquor trade over the past one year. In this year till date, over 1 lakh litre of country and branded liquor has been seized by the excise department. The statistics received from the police and the excise department reveal how the liquor mafia has deepened roots in the district and particularly in the holy city, reducing the ban imposed on sale of liquor to mockery.
What is happening is that those working for the liquor mafia are filling their pockets while robbing the revenue department of its due, something that reflects poorly on the efficiency of the excise department and the local police.
The department officials when quizzed sounded answerless over the matter. The principal question is whence the liquor is finding its way into the holy city despite the ban remaining in force for the sale and consumption of liquor.
Notably, sale of liquor was banned under Nagar Palika Act in 1916 in Haridwar city and after the Nagar Nigam was formed in 2012 the ban was re-imposed. It is clearly stated in the order that anyone found violating the act is subject to penal action.
However, both country and foreign liquor are stealing their ways in the city in a large volume. Over the first six months of the current year, Haridwar police seized 54,545 litres of liquor while the excise department claims to have seized around 70,000 litres.
Speaking to The Pioneer, the district excise officer Nathu Ram Joshi said, “This year so far, our department has seized more liquor than that seized by police.” He, however, failed to give the exact quantum of the seizure.
Notably, in a major seizure done recently, Haridwar police had recovered 607 cartons of branded liquor from two places during checking drive.
Three accused hailing from Haryana had been arrested on the charge of bringing liquor stealthily in the holy city to be delivered in Jwalapur.
Three others had been caught near Bhagwanpur police station for using fake number plate on a truck laden with liquor following which a case had been registered under the excise act.