Excise sleuths intensify raids to check illicit liquor flow

CUTTACK: With less than a month left for the first phase of the General Elections, the Excise officials have intensified raids on liquor shops in Cuttack district. Apart from setting up a control room at the district office of Excise Department, special squads have been formed to curb trade of illicit liquor and other drugs.

Informing about the measures being taken, District Excise Superintendent Ashok Kumar Satpathy said, 11 squads have been formed to keep a track of illicit liquor sale and other contraband trade. The 11 squads include 9 Charge Office squads and two mobile squads, he said and added Excise Deputy Superintendent Madhusmita Nayak is in charge of the control room, which is functional from March 9.

While three vehicles have been provided to Inspectors of Cuttack Sadar, Athagarh and Banki Excise Sub-division to facilitate officials in raiding, another vehicle has been kept in reserve at the headquarters for emergency raids. 

Apart from conducting regular patrolling and raids, the Excise officials are keeping a close watch on sensitive areas like Athagarh, Narasinghpur, Banki, Choudwar, Salepur, Phulnakhara, Niali and Kantapada. Departmental intelligence personnel have been engaged in these areas.
Persons who were arrested for illicit liquor and other contraband trade but released on bail will also be under the scanner.

While a majority of foreign liquor shops in the district are under CCTV camera surveillance, others either have no facility or it is lying defunct. Satpathy has directed the liquor shop owners to install or repair CCTV cameras and instructed Excise officials to keep an eye on supply of liquor from depots to sale points.

Action will be initiated against shops from where excess liquor is suspected to be flowing, he added.
Apart from 64 licenced country liquor shops, there are 117 foreign liquor off shop and 50 foreign liquor on shops in the district.