Demonitisation drive casting its somber shadows on the ensuing Christmas and New Year celebrations, few persons have so far applied for license from the entertainment and excise department for organising parties to celebrate the upcoming occasions. Dehradun additional DM (administration) Harbeer Singh said on Tuesday that some persons and hotel operators have applied for license for two days-December 30 and December 31-at the office of entertainment and excise. But the number is nothing as compared to the previous years, he added.
According to an excise department official, the sale volume of Beer and Indian Made Foreign (IMF) liquor shoots up during the New Year celebration. “However, the number of applications seeking license for the celebration is astonishingly low so far this year. Things might improve in the coming days with 15 days still being left for the celebration. last year, the department received around 50 applications for occasional Bar license from various hotels. This time, it is almost nothing,” the officer said.
“As per the figures of the last two years, the consumption of liquors during New Year celebration was twice in comparison to normal days. Around 12, 000 bottles of Beer and Indian Made Foreign (IMF) liquor are sold daily from various liquor vends in the district. But on December 31, the sale happens to surge up to around 25, 000 bottles. On account of the usual rise in the sale of liquors during the New Year celebration, we stock liquor in sufficient volume,” he further said.
District entertainment assistant commissioner in-charge SS Bisht said that whereas they had received around 50 applications for celebratory parties last year the number has come down to around five so far. “We would lose revenue if the trend remains dismal. The department earned revenue worth around Rs three lakh in the form of entertainment tax during last year’s New Year celebrations,” he said.
The department would, however, keep vigil to stop such boozing parties being organized at hotels or other places, sans license. “A inspector would be deployed to conduct surprise inspection at hotels on December 30/31. If case of any violation of law, penalty would be slapped ranging from Rs 2, 000 to Rs 20, 000 on the erring hotels,” he said, adding that the department charges 30 per cent entertainment tax per customer from the hotels.