Licence of distillery unit suspended
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 30
The Excise Department today clarified that it has suspended all licences issued to M/s Tetra Queen Distilleries and Breweries Pvt Ltd for gross irregularities committed by the unit.
The locals told Herald that the company was illegally manufacturing Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
Reacting to the report in Herald, Excise Commissioner P S Reddy stated that last month the unit was inspected by the Excise officials and certain irregularities were noticed.
“After issuing show cause notice, since the reply was not satisfactory a fine was imposed on the unit with a warning to abide by the rules and regulations,” the commissioner disclosed.
He further stated that the management had recently informed the department that it was temporarily closing down.
“…However, again last week during inspection we found major irregularities committed by the unit following which we have initiated action by suspending all the licences issued to the unit pending inquiry,” he said.
The locals had also alleged that the excise officials posted in the area were hand in glove with the factory owner.
When asked, Reddy said “action has also been initiated against the Excise inspector who was posted in the unit.”
“It is assured that the department is taking all necessary precautions on all the units situated in Goa to prevent any illegal manufacture of alcohol and also misuse of raw material etc,” he said.
On the allegations that the factory was operating the unit on forest land without conversion (NA) as per revenue Act, the commissioner replied, “we will ask the revenue authorities to look into the matter of encroachment on forest land.”
