BELLARY: The district administration will conduct a drive against illicit liquor distillation and prevent its sale and consumption, the Deputy Commissioner, S.N. Jayaram, has said.

He told presspersons here on Tuesday that he had a meeting with officials from the Police and Excise departments where it was decided to chalk out an action plan for the purpose. The meeting was convened in the wake of the recent hooch tragedies reported from Nelamangala in Bangalore Rural district and Sakleshpur in Hassan district.

Conducting joint raids, certifying the quality of arrack being transported from wholesale depots to vending points and checking vehicles carrying methyl alcohol to ensure that it is not sold illegally were some of the steps mooted in the meeting, he said.

ID cards

Mr. Jayaram said steps are being taken to issue identity cards to authorised arrack vendors and close down unauthorised vending units. According to him, there are 541 authorised vendors and 558 unauthorised vendors. To regulate the activities of unauthorised vendors, he had asked the Excise Department to put up a list of authorised vendors, he added.

He said the district administration has identified several villages in each of the seven taluks in the district where illicit distillation is rampant. As many as 14 villages in Bellary taluk, 20 in Hospet, 11 in Hagari Bommanahalli, 13 in Hadagali, 17 in Sandur, 10 in Sirguppa and 31 in Kudligi taluk that have come under the Excise Department scanner, he said and added that a drive will be launched to create awareness among people, especially in lambani tandas, about the ill-effects of consuming illicit/spurious arrack.

Mr. Jayaram said three habitual offenders with regard to illicit distillation have been identified and their movements are being closely monitored. Also, information about former employees of distillation units is being collected and a close watch will be kept on them, he added. There is also a move to book five cases under the Goonda Act against offenders.

Mr. Jayaram, while noting that the enforcement wing of the Excise Department has been asked to step up vigil and send a report every week, warned of action against officials found to be involved in encouraging illicit distillation.

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