Jajpur: Total prohibition and anti-liquor campaigns have proved to be unsuccessful with liquor sales increasing in the state by an additional 530 lakh litres during the last 10 years.
Despite various anti-liquor campaigns and total prohibition programmes being undertaken in the state, reports said liquor sales have gone up exponentially by an additional 530 lakh litres in last 10 years. Growing liquor consumption has resulted in increasing menace of alcoholics and anti-socials.
This has also caused a spurt in road accidents and social unrest while giving rise to immoral acts as well as law and order situations. People have alleged that the state has achieved record liquor sales notwithstanding its development in comparison to other states.
According to reports available from the Excise department, 13,832 lakh litre of various types of liquor has been produced from 2014-15 to December 2023. Similarly, 1,950 lakh litre foreign liquor including beer has been purchased for sale in the state.
The report states that 1,607 lakh litre of liquor was sold in the state in 2013-14 FY. This includes 596 lakh litre foreign liquor, 850 lakh litre beer and 161 lakh litre country liquor.
Similarly, liquor sale has increased to 2,137 lakh litre in 2022- 23 FY. This includes 785 lakh litre foreign liquor, 1,210 lakh litre beer and 142 lakh litre country liquor.
An official of the Excise department said according to the Excise Policy-2021 a number of foreign liquor shops and country liquor shops have been opened at various markets squares, roadsides, and populated areas in urban and rural areas of the state.
However, many shops are illegally kept open till 11pm. The Excise department has shut down many on and off shops which are within 500 metre from the national highways but it has become difficult to control the mushrooming foreign liquor shops and country liquor shops in civic body areas like municipal corporations, municipalities, NACs as well as in blocks and rural areas. These shops are doing brisk business throwing the restrictions to the wind. The administration has failed to bring them under control.
Moreover, many licensed liquor shops have come up during this period near national highways, educational institutions, government offices, cultural institutions, and banks in alleged violation of Section-34 of the Excise Act. The foreign and country liquor shops have popped up in a majority of lanes and by-lanes in both urban and rural areas.
The liquor shop owners are supplying to rural and remote areas of the state expecting more profits. Taking advantage of the situation, unemployed youths are selling liquor illegally to earn a livelihood. The easy availability of liquor has turned many youths and the elderly into alcoholics.
Moreover, the rampant supply of drugs like brown sugar and ganja from West Bengal and other neighbouring states has aggravated the situation. The drug and liquor mafias are carrying out their business with impunity by allegedly greasing the palms of the Excise and police officials as well as politicos.
Various anti-liquor and total prohibition campaigns are being carried out in the state but these have proved futile in downsizing the liquor sale. Funds worth over Rs4.69 crore have been spent in these campaigns during the last 10 years but liquor sales are increasing by the day.
PNN