The Dehradun district excise department issued 70 licenses for New Year parties involving consumption of liquor on December 31. The volume of sale beer, country made liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is also known to shoot up during the New Year celebration. On account of increased sale of liquor during the New Year celebrations, the excise department had also kept liquor in stock in the district, said a department official.
Guidelines have been issued to the license holders. They can organise their day long party at designated places till 10 pm. Joint teams from excise department and police department have been formed to conduct checks at hotels and restaurants and other commercial establishments to maintain peace and to ascertain whether license holders are following the necessary directions, said Dehradun excise officer Manoj Kumar Upadhyay on Sunday. He said that along with police department, a drive had been launched by the excise department at various places to put check on illegal sale of liquor from neighbouring States.
Upadhyay said that FIR will be lodged against persons who are caught organising New Year party at restaurants, hotels and other places without having valid license for the same.
According to him, department charges Rs 5000 for a one- day party on December 31. A team consisting of inspectors had also been formed and they are conducting special drives at the jurisdictional area to put check on illegal supply of liquor in the district from neighbouring states, he said.
Another excise department official said that the sale of beer, IMFL and country liquor during New Year celebrations generally tends to be more than on a routine day. He said, “If we study the data of last two years, the consumption of liquor during New Year celebration was twice in comparison to normal days. Around 15, 000 bottles of beer, Indian Manufactured Foreign (IMF) liquor are being sold daily at various liquor shops in the district, but on December 31, the sale had increased to around 30, 000 bottles.”