Social bane as illicit liquor trade booms in Pink City

The city is emerging as a hub of illegal liquor trade. The number of ‘hathkad’ (locally made alcohol) and liquor bhattis that have been found indicates that excise department officials are in connivance with liquor mafia in the state capital.

The excise department claims that illicit liquor trade has been completely destroyed particularly in Jaipur division, but recent police action suggest otherwise.  Last month, there were 51 raids in which 9 bhattis were destroyed and 134 litre ‘hathkad’ was seized. The police also arrested 13 people. In the last two days, 144 litres illicit liquor, 9300 litre raw material were seized from raids at 9 bhattis.

This is despite 519 villages being identified as den of illicit liquor manufacturing and trade on directives of excise commissioner OP Yadav. However, officials in Jaipur namely district excise officer Rajesh Verma and Ratan Lal Meena (DEO, rural) have been acting only on papers while actually allowing the illicit liquor trade to flourish.