Arfat Khan
JAMMU: With the commencement of physical verification of liquor stocks in shops and stores in Jammu to ascertain large scale allegations of its sale during lockdown, all eyes have now been fixed on Excise Commissioner who took cudgels against “powerful” liquor lobby.
As per the order No EC/Exc/2020-21/170-173 dated 27/04/2020, the Excise Commissioner Rajesh Kumar Shavan has constituted different teams which will verify liquor quantity in Shops, stocks, stores, bars with restaurants with the help of local administration.
There is no denying the fact that liquor was selling clandestinely during lockdown through various illegal means at exorbitant rates in Gandhi Nagar, Janipur and in various parts of the Jammu city.
Spread in different zones, the excise commissioner has ordered physical verification of 34 establishments which includes shops, bar and restaurants, stores and stocks operates in Jammu, Bishnah, R.S.Pura and Akhnoor area.
Acting on reports of clandestine sale of liquor during lockdown , the excise department vide order No 01of 2020 dated 06/04/2020 and order No 03 of 2020 dated 10/04/2020 has barred opening of liquor selling establishments during lockdown pending further order.
Ironically, sale of liquor through illegal means during lockdown was talk of the town but strangely the police so far had not been able to catch even a single person involved in this malpractice.
Sources in excise department has termed this verification exercise as an eyewash adding that the liquor lobby rules the roost in state administration.
From administrative point of view, the move is right as far as identifying those involved in malpractices of liquor sales at exorbitant rate during lockdown. But, it should not end in hiss with the showcasing of small fish in the net.