The Hindu : Front Page : Belt-shops have a free run in the State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 04, 2005

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Front Page

Belt-shops have a free run in the State

N. Rahul

Excise authorities plead helplessness citing `pressure' from various quarters

HYDERABAD: A staggering 80,000 belt-shops are carrying on unchecked the business of selling liquor without licence in the State.

Belt-shops are unlicensed premises selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The name is derived from the belt of a man's waist to symbolise burgeoning unlicensed shops around a licensed premises.

Excise authorities say pressure is mounted on them from various quarters, including political, to overlook the existence of belt-shops in their anxiety to step up the off-take of IMFL and thereby increase the Government's revenues. They estimate that 80,000 such shops are doing business as against about 8,000 licensed shops.

In business everywhere

The belt-shops are no longer confined to interior villages like earlier. They are operating even in towns, sometimes in close proximity to the licensed shops. Sources say that a particular brand of liquor unavailable in licensed shops could be had from the belt-shops. Of course, at a premium and on any day and hour of the night. Most of the times, it is the vendor at the licensed shop who guides the consumer to the belt-shop.

N.V. Surendra Babu, Director (Enforcement), Prohibition and Excise, told The Hindu that the enforcement staff had booked 900 cases against belt-shops and seized the material in the last three months. But, much to their chagrin, shop owners would resume the illicit trade the very next day.

Punitive action

There could be punitive action like cancellation of licences for violations by holders. But, there was no such mechanism against unlicensed shops, he added.

Besides belt-shops, the enforcement wing had cracked down on adulteration of toddy in the last three months. The drive had led to booking of 579 cases, mostly in Telangana, during the period. The close check on adulteration had its impact on toddy consumers with high dependence on the `extra kick'. About a hundred consumers in Mahbubnagar and 55 in Karimnagar were hospitalised following withdrawal symptoms, Mr. Surendra Babu said.

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