Bar and restaurant owners and staff who sell liquor in violation of the State Prohibition Act should be prepared from now to pay hefty fines and serve jail sentences.

Briefing newsmen on the recent amendments to the Prohibition Act, the Madya Vimochana Prachara Committee chairman V. Lakshmana Reddy told a media conference here on Thursday that those who continued to sell liquor through a network of belt shops and indulging in mobile marketing of alcohol would be imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh for the first offence and ₹5 lakh for the second offence. They could face imprisonment for a term between 6 months and 5 years depending upon the gravity of the offence, he said.

Breath analyzers would be made available in all toll plazas soon to curb drunken driving and de-addiction centres would be opened in all the districts, said Mr.Reddy, who had led a protracted struggle against liquor menace before his appointment as the head of the committee.

The excise policy adopted by the Bihar government had a very good effect on weaning tipplers away from liquor. The best practices there would be adopted in the State as well, he said, adding the State government was committed to implementing prohibition in phases to make the State ‘Ananda Andhra Pradesh’.

Excise Deputy Commissioner P. Srimannarayana Rao was also present.