‘Dry’ Gujarat goes all out to cast off Bacchus’ spell

Prices are shooting up. The medium range brands,which were earlier available at Rs 250,are now selling for Rs 450,and superior brands that earlier sold at Rs 300- 350 are now touching Rs 600- 700 per bottle — a two to threefold increase. The entire chain of trade is awaiting a ‘government release’ from the crackdown.

Estimates are that Gujarat has 75 per cent of its illegal branded liquor coming in from Chandigarh and other parts of Punjab; about 15 to 20 per cent from Daman; and the remaining 5 to 10 per cent trickle in from across the Rajasthan border. The volume of country-made liquor brewed internally is difficult to estimate,as it does not have a thorough supply chain.

Local sources in the trade say that liquor sales had surged by a whopping 50 per cent or more during the last poll in 2007,and a lot of that had to do with political parties. This was because most parties also have direct access to suppliers across the state borders.

The state Election Commission has now directed the state Home Department to intensify police patrolling on all entry points to Gujarat to check for liquor.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anita Karwal has said the EC will keep a hawk’s eye on political parties and candidates to see if they lure voters with liquor.

The Home Department has instructed range DIGs and SPs,particularly in the border districts,to keep vigil. A few days ago,the police had effected a huge liquor haul (worth over Rs 40 lakh) on the Panchmahals-Dahod border,a senior Home Department official said.

Madhya Pradesh is another state from where liquor is transported through the border districts of Dahod and Panchmahals,while Daman mainly caters to south Gujarat.

The issue was also discussed at a recent meeting Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi had in Ahmedabad with senior election officials and SPs from Gujarat. Senior policemen from south Gujarat had urged the EC to take up the issue with the Union Territory authorities of Daman in a bid to check the entry of liquor into the state.

Gujarat Home Secretary T S Bisht said since bootleggers become more active particularly during election time,all possible deterrent measures,including booking them under PASA (Prevention of Anti Social Activities) Act,have been initiated.

Policemen in south Gujarat are concentrating more on the transporters of liquor from beyond the borders besides sealing the borders with additional police force and erecting special chowkies at traditional liquor transit routes Surat Range IG Shivanand Jha says the booze mainly comes from Daman,Chandigarh,Rajasthan and MP routes.

“We have kept a close vigil on the Daman route as well as the areas adjacent to the Maharashtra border. However,instead of just focussing on deploying additional force,this time round we have stressed on the transporters. We have already booked three transporters who were into illegal liquor ferrying under PASA.”

He added,“We have also deployed police at certain strategic points apart from the traditional check nakas,but we would not reveal the locations as it would alert those who are into the business.”

In the border districts of Dahod,Panchmahals and Vadodara,patrolling has been intensified especially for trucks. Already 24 known bootleggers have been put under PASA.

According to the Dahod Superintendent of Police,Vipul Aggarwal,border outposts in Alirajpur and Jhalod are under the scanner constantly.

He,however,did not deny that some of these bootleggers use jungle areas,which are difficult to man,to transport alcohol and other contraband items to the state.

Similarly,Panchmahals Superintendent of Police J R Mothaliya has identified 10 bootleggers and has put them under PASA.

Meanwhile,in Vadodara,eight persons have been arrested under PASA,while border areas such as Chhota Udepur and Kwant have been identified as major points from where liquor may flow,added Vadodara District Superintendent of Police,B S Jebaliya.