Jajpur: The Excise department is allegedly violating laid down norms for opening of liquor shops in this district as it avoids publishing notices under Form-A inviting the views of residents before granting permission.
Sources said the department is required to publish the notice in various newspapers and also put it up at various places in October every year to inform people of the proposed opening of liquor shops in their areas.
However, the Excise department is yet to publish the notice with only two days left for the month to end. The department, through the notice, invites opinions of the residents on opening of the liquor shops. The feedback received from the people is required to be sent with Form-B to the state government for its approval.
There are over 100 Aska40 and IMFL on and off shops in the district.
However, the department is allegedly keeping Form-A from the people and sending the proposal for establishment of the shops to the state government seeking its approval. Observers claimed that the Excise department refrains from publishing notice under Form-A in connivance with liquor traders.
Activists alleged it to be a violation of law. As a result, the state government never comes to know about the views of the people on the opening of liquor shops in their areas. Moreover, this allegedly helps the Excise department to allow liquor shops in any area in exchange of kickbacks from liquor traders.
This has led to rise in illegal liquor shops in the district and sparked sharp resentment among the people. The matter came to the fore after a liquor trader was sanctioned licence to open an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) shop near the Champeipal panchayat office in Dasarathpur block in the district.
The illegal practice of granting licence to the shop without meeting the requirement of Form-A has drawn people’s ire as they tore up one of its banners and met the Collector demanding it not be allowed in the middle of the village.
The alleged violation of norms often leads to law and order situation and loss of social harmony in many places.
Sources said many people even do not know about Form-A where the Excise department is required to solicit opinion of the people before allowing a liquor shop.
The district administration had decided to allow an IMFL shop at Chakradharpur panchayat under Dharmasala block last year.
However, the Excise department had to close it down after hundreds of men and women from Sorei, Kabatbandh, Dalagaon, Chakradharpur, Madhusudanpur, Mukundpur and Kusunpur villages staged an agitation opposing it.
When contacted, Excise Superintendent Rajat Praharaj said that the Form-A has been sent to the Collector and will be published after receiving his approval.
PNN