The confiscation of a large consignment of smuggled liquor from Raipur area on Thursday has confirmed that the panchayat election in state is consuming huge amount of illegal booze. The panchayat poll candidates are using liquor supplied from Haryana and Punjab to woo the voters in their favour.
On Thursday the local police seized a mini truck carrying 756 bottles of liquor near the Ordnance factory campus of Raipur. The liquor was being smuggled from Haryana. The driver of the vehicle informed the police that the consignment was to be taken to Garhwal area and the liquor was for the purpose of panchayat polls which are being held in the State.
The smuggled liquor is brought in the State from Punjab and Haryana and as it is cheaper the candidates of the panchayat polls prefer it.
These candidates use this liquor to throw parties in the village. One of the panchayat poll candidate on condition of anonymity said that he has kept more than half of the total budget for liquor.
The State machinery is finding it hard to control free flow of liquor in these polls. In the remote and moauntainous area of the state there is virtually none to stem the flow of illegal booze. The Excise department of state is facing a severe shortage of staff; in the state capital the department has only four Inspectors to check the illegal liquor. The District Excise Officer of Dehradun S C Kamboj told The Pioneer that the department is extra vigilant during the panchayat polls. He said that surprise raids are being conducted to seize the smuggled liquor.