Trace and track system to check illicit liquor trade

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, January 24

Extra neutral alcohol (ENA) from bottling and manufacturing plants is finding way to illegal markets, given the scale of the illegal liquor trade unearthed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

ENA is the raw material used to manufacture alcohol and cases have come to light where its stock was either found missing or excess stock than permitted was found at the plants.

This was despite the fact that a factory inspector is permanently posted at such plants to monitor its working.

As much as 11,000 bulk litres of ENA was found missing from the stock of a Jogindernagar-based bottling plant in Mandi district on January 18 during a surprise inspection conducted by the State Taxes and Excise Department (STED). This was exactly a day before the hooch tragedy led to the death of seven persons in Sundernagar.

A liquor factory Yamuna Beverages Private Limited (YBPL) in Paonta Sahib was sealed in July 2021 after 13,802 litres ENA was found stocked without permit. As many as 5,155 cases of country liquor could have been manufactured using it.

It was allowed to function after it requested to use its legal ENA stock.

The working of the department was again brought under the scanner after the Una unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau seized 900 boxes of country-made liquor which were being transported without permit.

Officials said the ENA was often pilfered in drums during its transportation and sold in illegal markets. Its crude mixing under unhygienic conditions in chemical-laced drums alters its composition in illegal factories like the one unearthed in Nalagarh on Friday evening.

Commissioner, STED, Yunus said to tighten the noose around the units, a trace and track system would be introduced.

An inspector posted at Goverdhan Bottling at Gallu in Jogindernagar was placed under suspension and the plant’s licence was suspended today following irregularities during inspection where 11,000 bulk litres of ENA was detected on January 18.

He added that the factory inspector of the YBPL had been suspended while an inquiry was underway in the liquor haul seized by the Vigilance.

It was, however, shocking that the inquiry had failed to conclude even three months after the case came to fore. The official in Sirmaur had also sought a no-objection certificate from the Vigilance to re-start the factory.

The Commissioner also said the licence of KM Distillery at Parwanoo had been suspended in December. The police had seized 700 boxes of country liquor, transported illegally in a truck , from KM Distillery in April last year.