Rourkela: The illegal sale of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and country liquor in and around Rourkela has become a cause of concern for the Excise department with unlicensed bars springing up in the dhabas and small eateries. Such dhabas have mushroomed on a stretch of more than 25km starting from Vedvyas to Bisra. “Just walk into any dhaba or small eatery near garages or truck parking spots and you will find foreign and country liquor easily,” said one social activist who did not want to be named. Interestingly the tippler pays these dhabas a premium for one bottle of IMFL or a pouch of country liquor. “I am surprised as to how country liquor, which is a banned substance in Sundargarh district, is available so openly.
Besides, seizures of country liquor happen in regular intervals,” said the same activist. Recently, a spurious foreign liquor racket which was operating under KBalang and Koira PS areas was busted. Liquor smugglers were bringing in raw materials from Jharkhand and were preparing spurious liquor in these areas. Both the places mentioned being mining areas have a strong presence of transporters and truckers. Speaking on the mushrooming of illegal liquor shops, Excise Superintendent Asif Ali said, “We are more concerned about the spurious IMFL and the country liquor as those are deadly. Illegal sales are also being checked and we are keeping an eye.” In the April-June period, the department has detected 832 cases and arrested 689 persons.
Besides, it has charged 152 persons. The department has seized 3,77,535 kg of fermented mahua wash used in manufacturing the popular country liquor ‘mahuli’. Besides it has seized 123.23 litre duplicate IMFL. “The country liquor sale is a big challenge for us. Because if a small mistake is made in preparation, it will become spurious and can claim lives.”
