An SMS can get liquor delivered at doorstep!

SANGAREDDY: Two years ago, during his Padayatra, Telugu Desam chief N Chandrababu Naidu had hit out at the then government, accusing it of failing to curb the menace of belt shops.

'You can get liquor even in a remote area. All you have to do is to send an SMS to the liquor shop, the liquor bottles will come running to you. But even if you are ready to spend a fortune, there will not be a drop of drinking water,' he had remarked.

It aptly summarises the situation even today, with drinking water being hard to find, while liquor bottles are readily available. 'If you want milk for a baby at around 10 pm, there is no chance you can get them in towns like Narayankhed. But, if you want a liquor bottle, there will not be a problem. They are available anytime, anywhere,' says Venkatesham of Narayankhed.

The statement presents a tell-tale picture of the situation with liquor in general and belt shops in particular in Medak district, which is now represented by the chief minister of the state. With an eye on the revenues being generated, successive governments promoted consumption of liquor by making it available even in the remotest parts of the district.

Fixing of targets by higher authorities to increase the revenue has forced the excise officials to turn a blind eye to the so-called 'belt shops'. Though it is stated that there are only 165 liquor shops being run under the control of the department, unofficial count puts the number of 'belt shops' at around 2,000 that are doing a brisk business almost throughout the year.

Even on days like Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti, one can have liquor by paying a premium ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200. 'The excise revenue of the united Andhra Pradesh, after lifting the ban, stood at Rs 800 crore in 1996.

Now, the revenue in the newly-formed Telangana state alone stands at Rs 12,000 crore, of which Rs 500 crore comes from Medak district. This explains to which extent people are habituated to drinking,' said an excise official on the condition of anonymity.

Despite all efforts, the excise department is unable to control sale of non duty paid liquor seeping into the state from neighbouring Karnataka and to some extent from Maharashtra.

It is alleged that belt shop owners bribe officials of the excise department to stay in business. On the pretext of getting more revenue, excise and police officials refrain from taking any action against these shops. These belt shops, of course, create employment for some people in rural areas.

The unrealistic fixation of Rs 90 lakh as running cost for a liquor shop in areas like Patancehru, Ramachandrapuram, Bollaram and Tellapur has dissuaded many traders from participating in the tender process. Even excise officials admit that belt shops contribute a lot to the excise revenue at these places. 'We book cases only against those who were caught red-handed while selling liquor.

We can't register cases against those who stock below 12 beer bottles and six liquor bottles. The change has to take place in people,' said Qureshi, deputy commissioner of excise.