Hooch preparation goes on unabated in Muktsar village

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, September 16

Despite the change of guard in the state and numerous raids by the police and officials of the Excise Department at Kattianwali village in the Lambi Assembly segment, people involved in the business of hooch preparation are not ready to shun this illegal practice.

For instance, 22,000 litrs of ‘lahan’ (raw material used to prepare hooch) was destroyed and seven drums seized on September 13. Earlier, 73,000 litres of ‘lahan’ was destroyed, four working illegal distilleries (bhathis), 17 drums and 82 tarpaulin sheets buried in the soil were seized last month. Nearly 13,500 litres of ‘lahan’ was destroyed in August last year. Earlier, nearly 18,000 litres of ‘lahan’ was destroyed in February last year.

Similarly, nearly 33,500 litres of ‘lahan’ was destroyed in May 2017. Further, nearly 25,400 litre of ‘lahan’ was destroyed in January 2017. Besides, 43 drums of hooch and 200 tarpaulin sheets were destroyed in October 2016. In addition, 20 drums full of hooch were destroyed in June 2016. Eight tarpaulin sheets having the material used to brew hooch were found buried under soil in September 2015. Around 35 tarpaulin sheets having the material used to brew hooch were found buried under soil in August 2015. Further, 100 tarpaulin sheets, carrying the material used to brew hooch, were found buried under soil in July 2015.

However, hardly any person is caught with such massive seizures. A number of criminal cases have been registered in this regard, but almost every time against unidentified persons.

In such a situation, the village has earned notoriety as a den of illicit liquor. The liquor prepared here is reportedly supplied to some other neighbouring states as well. “The liquor is prepared in dense wild growth along the canal. If the authorities concerned really want to stop the preparation of hooch here, then they should first clear the wild growth. It is not just providing a shelter to the people involved in this illegal activity, but also makes it risky to conduct the raid,” said a retired police officer.

Vikram Thakur, Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO), Muktsar, said, “We have conducted many raids in the past and now there is a proposal to open a liquor vend in the village. As there is no liquor vend in the village, people are involved in this illegal activity.”

However, a liquor contractor said, “The liquor vend will not make any profit here. People have become habitual to preparing hooch and have been drinking it for the past few years and that too when it is available at a cheaper price.”

During the previous SAD-BJP government, the Congress leaders of this area used to blame a senior Akali leader of patronising those preparing hooch. However, after the change of guard in the state, they too have now become mum on this issue.