Bhayandar: The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) cracked the whip against the illegal display of liquor brands by wine shops and other watering-holes in the city.
Following clear directives from higher-ups in the Thane (rural) police, the anti-encroachment wing led by Sanjay Donde, launched a drive on Saturday, to pull down the illegally installed signboards by liquor vends to promote various booze brands. The action, however has put a serious question mark on the credibility of excise officials, who had remained mute spectators towards such massive illegalities, all these years.
A large number of booze vends mostly wines and beer shops have installed huge illuminated signage’s, promoting various brands of liquor and beer.
“Such advertising gimmicks sans any proxy product, explains their audacity to lure gullible people especially youngsters to the watering holes and become addicts,” charged RTI activist- Shabbir Kanorwala while seeking penal action against those protecting the illegitimate money spinning activities.
After much dilly-dallying and claiming ignorance about specific regulations, the excise wing had shot-off toothless notices to booze vendors asking them to remove boards displaying booze advertisements or face punitive action. However, it was only after the intervention of the cops, that the MBMC, spurred into action.
“We have asked the MBMC to ensure that such illegal signboards are weeded out from the city,” confirmed Thane (rural) ASP Atul Kulkarni. There is an increasing trend among liquor manufacturers to sponsor sign boards offering attractive monthly rents to wine shops and bars as the advertising ploy is being seen as one of the best to target consumers at the point of purchase.
As per statistics sourced out from the excise department, there are 238 establishments including-17 wine shops, 149 permit rooms, 55 beer shops and 17 country liquor vends in the twin-city.