Foreign liquor shops throw norms to the wind

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Cuttack: Most of the foreign liquor hops here are blatantly violating the provisions of Odisha Excise Act even as police and Excise department sleuths here have become mute spectators to the issue.
Locals attributed the trend to a nexus among owners of the liquor shops, police and officials of Excise department.
The Act mandates closure of foreign liquor shops by 10.30 pm and prescribes for penalty up to Rs 50,000 on the violators.
The state government had brought certain amendments to the Act in 2014 and allowed hotels and bars in five major cities—Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur—to serve foods and beverages till 12 pm. The hoteliers and bar owners are bound to pay additional taxes if the shops remain opened beyond the prescribed time period.
However, the government did not approve extension of time to foreign liquor shops.
Locals claimed that many foreign liquor shops in the city remain open till 11.30 pm every day in violation of the Act. Though Excise department officials are quite aware of the flagrant violation of the excise act, they seldom bother to take action against the errant shopkeepers, sources said.
“Several foreign liquor shops in Badambadi, Mangalabag, Link Road and Jagatpur areas of the city are doing business till 11.30 pm every day. Many criminals and anti-social elements usually gather near these outlets,” said a social activist.
According to locals, a foreign liquor outlet in Link Road area of the city has being doing business till late night right under the nose of Madhupatna police. “A relative of the outlet owner has been posted as a senior official of the Excise department. That is why police and excise sleuths do not take any action against him,” said a source.
It is worth mentioning that at least two persons were injured in a clash between two groups near a liquor shop in Badambadi area a few days ago. Police had arrested three persons in connection with the incident.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police Akhilesvar Singh said the Excise department is the appropriate authority to look into the issue. “Whenever police come across any liquor shop doing business in the late hours, they ask the owner to close the outlet,” he claimed.
Excise department commissioner Debendra Mahapatra said they would start an investigation to find out the errant outlet owners before taking appropriate action against them.