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Two officials blame excise policy for hooch tragedy

Staff Reporter

Depose before the Patro Commission

BHUBANESWAR: Two senior government officials, who were handling affairs when the Ganjam hooch tragedies took place in 2006, defended themselves on Tuesday saying they were not responsible for the incident but it was chinks in the government policies that were to be blamed.

The two officials, former State excise commissioner S. Osatullah, who has since retired, and suspended Deputy Excise Superintendent of Ganjam district G. P. Das, were deposing before Justice P.K. Patro Commission probing into the tragedy here on Tuesday.

Licensing authority

Mr. Osatullah said since the District Collector was the licensing authority for liquor shops and distilleries the he (excise commissioner) did not interfere in daily affairs.

The former excise commissioner said he had made consistent efforts to augment revenue from Rs. 114 crores in 2000 to Rs. 389 crores in 2006 and even public awareness programmes were launched to inform people to avoid adulterated liquors.

Similarly, excise enforcement and intelligence bureau was revived to check any such hooch tragedies, Mr. Osatullah said adding that "despite of all our efforts, the unfortunate incident occurred." While former excise commissioner shirked responsibilities to district level, Mr. Das said the State Government all of a sudden changed its liquor policy and allowed distillation units of licensed country liquor in the district.

People did not find enough time to switch over from spirit (ethyl alcohol) liquor to country liquor (mohua), he explained.

The deputy excise superintendent, who was also in charge of intelligence, said since there were not enough government liquor shops available in Golabandha and Huma area, people fell prey to adulterated liquors distributed by unscrupulous traders.

The commission is scheduled to record the statement of Rajesh Kumar, former Ganjam district superintendent of police, on Wednesday.

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