The liquor market in Uttarakhand has continued to suffer from various anomalies including being sold at more than the MRP. The amount charged above the MRP varies from Rs5 to Rs20 and above depending on factors like location of the shop and liquor brand among others. This was confirmed by a team, which was constituted by Dehradun DM Ravinath Raman, who made surprise visit at foreign liquor shop at Dalanwala on March 4.
DM Raman said that sale at more than MRP rates was ascertained at foreign liquor shop at Dalanwala on December 4, 2015. Even they were not maintaining stock register and shop license during inspection. The shop owner was sought an explanation on December 11.
Meanwhile DM Raman has imposed a penalty of Rs5,000 on owner Sitaram Kala apart from this an order was issued for the shopkeeper to shut his shop for next three days starting from March 7.
Moreover, in the last week of February month this year, DM Raman had deployed a team of department officials to conduct surprise inspection at various liquor shops in the district.
At the country made liquor shop at Ballupur, the inspection team found that the customers were being charged above the MRP. This outlet was also found flouting the time limit for liquor shops remaining open till 12.20 am. A penalty of Rs5,000 was imposed on the vendor who has also been asked to keep the outlet closed for a period of three days from February 27.
Similarly, customer being charged above the MRP resulted in Rs5,000 penalty being imposed on a vendor who was also ordered to keep the outlet at Dhalanwala shut for a day. Among the shops visited by the team, sale at above MRP rates was ascertained in liquor shops at various locations including Dakpatthar, Near Kargi Chowk on the Haridwar bypass road, Rajpur Road and Shastrinagar with a penalty of Rs5,000 being imposed on each.