Though excise products like liquor, ganja, opium, pan gutkha and others have been banned by the Government during lockdown period, their transactions are going on as usual in the Athagarh areas through black-marketing.
It is seen that the licence liquor shops have pulled down their shutters, but they are selling the liquor from backdoor at higher price. Spurious liquors are also being sold here, said sources.
The country liquor is prepared on the outskirts of Athagarh, Tigiria and Banki areas where the units are run like cottage industries and the liquor is sold at least three times higher than the usual prices.
Similarly, ganja is sold by black marketers in most of the chowks and markets of Athagarh. This apart, gutkhas are sold at double or triple the usual prices in most of the paan shops which are locked from front side but opened from back side.
The Excise department here is sitting idle during the lockdown period and does not go for raids. It is also alleged that local police are hand in gloves.