Kerala - Kozhikode   

Drive against illicit liquor intensified

Staff Reporter

Excise control room put on 24-hour alert

KOZHIKODE: The special drive launched by the Excise Department from August 1 to September 15 to check the flow of illicit liquor has been intensified in view of the Onam festival, when sale and consumption of liquor is likely to increase.

The Excise control room has been put on 24-hour alert. The overall supervision is being carried out by Assistant Excise Commissioners of the three circles of Kozhikode, Perambra and Vadakara, which comprise nine ranges, sources said.

Vehicular checks and extra monitoring at the Azhiyoor check-post to prevent smuggling of liquor from Mahe are being taken up. Assistant Excise Commissioner K.G. Shashi said checks have been made stringent at the border with Mahe.

The authorities seized 850 litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) that was being smuggled into the district from Mahe a couple of days back.

Earlier, the authorities had seized a vehicle carrying 8,000 litres of spirit valued at Rs. 5 lakh at Azhiyoor on the border.

He said steps against illicit brewing, including raids and arrests of habitual offenders, were being carried out on a regular basis.

Mr. Shashi said the `janakeeya committees' headed by the District Collector, with MLAs and MPs as members, was a forum for the public to submit their grievances on illicit brewing and related activities.

Efforts were also on to set up such committees at the grama panchayat level. A proposal in this regard has been forwarded to the authorities concerned.

The Anti-Narcotics special squad has also been put on alert.

Prohibitionists' efforts

A 10-member group of youth under the Kozhikode unit of Kerala Madya Nirodhana Samithi has been engaged to detect and seize illicit liquor at rural centres, especially Kannadipoyil, Kizhariyur, Chaman and Annassery where such activity is reported to be rampant.

District president of the samithi T. M. Raveendran said groups of youth have been able to detect and destroy large quantities of illicit alcohol at many of these centres.

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