TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: In view of the election code of conduct in force for the parliamentary elections on April 12, the Election Commission has decided to act strict on free flow of alcohol.
The local excise office at Canacona, after receiving a circular to that affect, issued notices to about 25 liquor units including wholesale dealers, distributors, bottling units in Canacona to install CCTV cameras in their premises and report compliance by March 17. The concerned are further directed to submit footage of the day-long activities captured by the CCTV camera, copied on a CD on a day-to-day basis, regularly to the local excise office till the code of conduct is in force.
The move is reportedly to observe activities at the premises of the units concerned regarding movement of liquor consignments frequently and in large scale, and other related activities, said to be done to influence voters.
The circular issued by Commissioner of Excise Menino D’Souza on March 14 states: ‘Distilleries, wineries, breweries, bottling plants, warehouses, distributors and wholesalers are immediately directed to install CCTV cameras at the entry and exit points in their respective units latest by March 17.’
‘To monitor and ensure that no liquor is issued without proper license.’
“Canacona Excise office received the circular on March 14 and accordingly notices have been served to the liquor units with instructions to give compliance by March 17,” confirmed a top official of Canacona Excise.
The day-to-day footages received by the local excise office will be submitted to the nodal office for its further analysis to check if any code violations have taken place and who are its beneficiaries.
As of now, the bar and restaurants are out of the purview, however with reports doing round, the Election Commission may go for further strictures to keep an eye on the activities in retail liquor shops also.
Informing further, the top official said non-enforcement of the directives would compel the units concerned to keep their activities shut for the period the directives are in force.
Meanwhile, a discontent of sorts has engulfed the fraternity involved in liquor trades like wholesale dealers, distributors, bottling units in Canacona taluka, besides other alcohol units, that complying with the Election Commission directives within such a short notice and that too purchasing cost effective gadget without any technical knowledge for its operations is out of their capacity.
Many aggrieved units which received the notices have decided to meet the local officers including Electoral Returning Officer (ERO) and Excise Inspector, Canacona, with their grievances on March 18.
