Liquor supply to traders stopped for not buying computers

Liquor retailers in Telangana are up in arms against the Excise department, which they charge is pressuring them to purchase computers from a particular firm as part of the implementation of high security holograms and 2D bar-coding system for sale of liquor.

The issue has reached a flashpoint with the Telangana State Beverages Corporation Limited stopping supply for the past few days. An order issued on December 17 says stock of IML and beer would not be sold to the licencees, who have not implemented the High Performance File System ((HPFS) agreement. USC Holograms Private Limited (USC) has been awarded the project of manufacturing, printing, marking/numbering and supply of high security holograms with 2D barcode/ID linear barcode.

The Telangana State Wine Dealers Association while appreciating the Government’s intention to bring in transparency questioned the haste with which they were forced to buy computers. Association President D. Venkateswar Rao said hologram and barcode system needs to be installed in three stages. The first being manufacturer (distilleries), second distributor (TS Beverages Corporation) and finally the retailer. “When distilleries and Beverages Corporation is yet to implement it, there was no reason in forcing us to install the same,” he reasoned.

He pointed out that while a retailer looked for a comprehensive computer, which would fulfil the billing and accounting requirements, the system suggested by officials addresses the issue of billing. Mr. Rao noted that there was only one supplier for the computer specified by the department. He said: “The firm is charging Rs 91,000 for the system where as the same was available for much less price in the market.”

Excise department had recommended that industrial grade PC with Ubuntu 12.04 pre-installed should be the operating system that supports the Excise Track and Trace Solution. The PC should have SSD drive with two independent display provisions, a thermal printer, 2D barcode scanner, patch panel antenna and UPS.

Denying the allegations, a senior excise official said: “There is no bar on the licensees from purchasing the PC from other dealers.” They are reluctant to install computers as their alleged irregularities would be exposed, the officer said. “The licensing condition clearly says that the trader should buy a computer with the given specification to enable the department to make all transactions transparent and accountable to the excise administration,” the senior official told

The Hindu.

It was pointed out that the retailers were against the system as many of them were opening their outlets much before 11 am. “All transactions will be monitored by the department live, which will only expose their activities. Hence, they are against installation,” the senior officer said pointing out that every transaction would be tracked once the system was installed.