Excise officials to get weapons soon

Officials of the Prohibition & Excise Department in at least 25 per cent of the total of 146 stations across the 10 districts of Telangana, especially those in the rural areas where personnel were vulnerable to assaults from bootleggers and smugglers, will get weapons.

At a press conference after a review meeting with district officers here on Tuesday, Excise Minister T. Padma Rao said a committee of senior officials was examining the initial proposal and finalising the stations where they would require weapons.

“We will get approval from Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for our staff to be suitably equipped because there have been instances of attacks on raiding parties,” he said. Enforcement was a priority for Government and officers were asked to draw up a comprehensive plan to crack down on ID (illicitly-distilled) liquor that was taking more and more lives with each passing day, he explained

Rehabilitation

“We want to make a beginning with Dhoolpet. Apart from clamping down, we also realise that we need to properly implement rehabilitation programmes and show alternative livelihood options for those involved in the ID liquor trade to wean them away. I myself will accompany officials to Dhoolpet soon,” he said.

Another important step was the department drawing up plans to construct own buildings in all the districts, estimated to cost over Rs. 100 crore.

“Station House Officers in the district do not have own buildings and it is a major hindrance to work. We are suggesting that land be allotted to us so that the department can even build offices on its own,” Mr. Padma Rao explained.

Permit rooms

Among others present included Principal Secretary B.R. Meena, Excise Commissioner Ahmad Nadheem and Additional Commissioner T.N. Venkatswamy.

Asked about the permit rooms attached to wine shops, Mr. Nadheem said the decision to have such rooms was taken only in the interests of people passing by, especially women and children.

“Each wine shop owner pays Rs. 2 lakh as licence fee, exclusively to have the permit rooms. We have also asked field officers to ensure that the immediate area around a wine shop, up to a distance of 20 metre on either side be maintained as a clean zone,” he said.