Haryana poll: Chandigarh Excise Dept ups checking to curb liquor smuggling

Chandigarh, September 2

The UT Excise Department has enhanced surveillance in the city to curb the menace of interstate liquor smuggling in view of the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections.

The Police Department has also been requested to strengthen as many as 19 nakas to check the interstate smuggling of liquor. The Excise Department has deployed its staff on the nakas to assist in the exercise.

UT Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner HS Brar stated that the Excise Department was continuing and further strengthening its drive against illegal smuggling of liquor to enforce guidelines in view of the elections in Haryana.

Dedicated excise teams consisting of ETOs and ETIs have been formed to keep vigil and check liquor outlets. During the course of the checking of physical stock lying at the premises/shops/additional godowns, stock registers will be tallied with issued passes/permits. In case any discrepancy is detected, the department will act swiftly and take stringent action against the violators. A team of excise office for 24X7 monitoring has also been constituted.

On the directions of the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, a meeting with the bottling plants, wholesalers and retail vend owners of Chandigarh was held today where various issues regarding enforcement, issuance of permits were discussed, including the effectively monitoring of the bottling plants 24X7.

Brar further stated that the department had further enhanced enforcement activities to ensure that no stone was left unturned to curb the menace of interstate smuggling of liquor.