Concerned over the rising cases of spurious liquor sale in and around the steel city, the State excise department has decided to start an extensive operation against the manufacturers and traders of the fake liquor.
Sources went on to inform that manufacturing of spurious liquor is being done at places like Potka and Ghatshila, and is latter supplied to a section of liquor shop owners at the steel city. Senior officials of the excise department said that checks on manufacturing and sale areas of bars, and shops selling foreign liquor would be intensified in the coming days.
Assistant commissioner, excise department, East Singhbhum, Arvind Kujur confirmed about the racket of spurious liquor manufacturing, in the name of reputed brands.
“We have received reports of manufacturing and rebottling of spurious liquor at certain places. We have decided to launch a drive to nab such illicit liquor manufacturers and seize the units,” said Kujur.
Police officials said National Highway 33 would also be under the watch of the patrolling teams of the department. Strict action would be taken by joint teams of the police and Excise in cases of offences such as manufacture, sale of illegal liquor, consumption of alcohol in public places, and unlicensed wine making.
At Jamshedpur there are 98 Indian Make Foreign liquor (IMFl) licensed shops, 51 country-made liquor shop and 15 spicy liquor shops.
Kujur revealed that he has asked the excise inspectors to conduct enquiry if spurious liquor are being sold at the licensed liquor shops, and also to see if any sub-standard liquor is being served in the city bars.
Sources informed that the trend of spurious liquor sale has started in the city two months ago after the prices of liquor shot up by 20 percent. After the rise in the liquor
rate, the traders concerned had become anxious to push spurious liquor from the licensed outlet.
Notably, the steel city has a history of manufacturing duplicate liquor, as the district police had in the past busted several rackets of duplicate liquor manufacturing units, especially from the localities like Bagbera, Jugsalai and Kadma.
Meanwhile, the police in Adityapur, RIT and Gamharia have been instructed by the administration that no liquor shop should remain open after 10 pm. Apart from keeping a strict vigil on the liquor shop, the officers-in-charge of these police stations have also been told to intensify patrolling, to ensure that the streets in densely-populated Adityapur is free from any anti-social activities.