Bhograi: Liquor traders and mafia from Bihar are heading towards Odisha to carry on their business. Most of them, tainted with crimes, are found in Bhograi area of Balasore.
They find the coastal region safe for liquor trade, a report said. A notification had been issued by the Excise department inviting applications for opening new liquor shops in the state.
During the draw of lots for liquor trading licenses, many Bihari traders and mafia obtained permission for opening outlets in the state. Over 10 non-Odia people have got licenses to open liquor outlets in Balasore alone.
Most of them hail from Bihar. They have opened foreign liquor off-shops at Talsari, Deulahat, Batagram near Thana Chhak under Bhograi block; one at Karmarda; seven shops in Jaleswar and two in Baliapal.
It was learnt that most of the liquor shop owners are blacklisted and tainted in Bihar. Various outfits, social activists and intellectual groups have expressed concern over this trend in the liquor trade.
It was also leant that most of the liquor shop owners have been blacklisted by the Bihar government for adulteration of liquor. In the past, scores of people have reportedly died from consuming hooch and adulterated liquor.
People apprehend that these blacked listed liquor traders from Bihar may sell adulterated liquor in the area too. Hooch-induced deaths can’t be ruled out in coming days in the district as the liquor trade has been handed over to the people of tainted and criminal background, locals alleged.
Apprehending cases of liquor deaths, various outfits have demanded scrapping the licenses of the Bihari liquor traders.
Local social activist Hara Narayan Rout said, “No state in the country resorts to lot drawing method in the matter of granting liquor trading licenses, but Odisha is an exception. By this policy, dreaded criminals and black listed traders have been invited to push hooch and adulterated liquor and cause mayhem.”
Asked about it, district excise superintendent Sheikh Asaf Ali said that if it is proved that licensed liquor shop owners have earlier been blacklisted or involved in crimes, their licenses will be scrapped.
Notably, in March 2021, the state government decided to settle all existing sanctioned IMFL ‘Off ’ and country liquor shops for 2021-22 onwards through lottery by inviting applications on fixed monthly consideration money basis.
The dates for lottery had been fixed by district Collectors.
PNN
