The menace of clandestine sale of black jaggery, which is used for brewing illicit liquor (gudumba), has come back to haunt the district, posing hurdles to the efforts of the government to root out the menace of gudumba completely from the State.
After a long lull, the traders, earlier involved in illegal transportation and sale of black jaggery, resumed their clandestine trade by employing different tactics to make a quick buck.
The seizure of over 2,200 tonnes of black jaggery at the house of a trader at Mothinagar in Khammam by a team of Prohibition and Excise Department officials on Saturday revealed the continuing sale of black jaggery in the district headquarters town.
Black jaggery seized
The Excise sleuths seized a large quantity of black jaggery found packed in empty oil tins during the raid.
The district earned a niche for itself in the fight against gudumba in adherence to a multi-pronged strategy involving the allied government departments and self-help groups in the past two years.
The district was declared ‘ID liquor-free’ after it contained the menace of illicit distillation of brew to an extent of more than 95 % in December 2015.
The bootleggers, who were earlier involved in the illegal distillation of brew, reportedly revived their “old contacts” to resume the clandestine trade in some remote pockets in Tirumalayapalem and Kusumanchi mandals along the inter-district borders, sources said.
Illegal hoarding
Three persons were arrested on charges of illegal hoarding of black jaggery at Mothinagar in the town, said District Excise Superintendent Kiran Naik.
When contacted, he told The Hindu that strict vigil was being maintained to curb illegal hoarding and sale of black jaggery.
The district was in the forefront of the crusade against gudumba, he said, adding that collaborative efforts were under way to maintain the ID liquor-free status.
A meeting of local traders would be held here on Tuesday to enlist their cooperation in curbing the illegal sale of black jaggery.
