PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday ordered strict enforcement of the alcohol prohibition law and directed officials to act tough against violators, including those who were "from outside the state".
The chief minister made the observations chairing a high-level meeting here to review the law and order situation in the state.
Kumar, who had ordered a complete ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in the state nearly five years ago, recalled that the state had its first brush with prohibition in the 1970s when his mentor Karpoori Thakur ruled Bihar and Morarji Desai was the Prime Minister.
"With a change in regime, though, ban on liquor was done away with. We reimposed the same following a demand from the state's women. This has resulted in manifold benefits for the people of Bihar," he said.
"Moreover, there have been a number of studies which vindicate the stand taken by us on the issue of liquor. A recent study has even claimed that consumption of alcohol dilutes the efficacy of the corona vaccine. The WHO has enumerated a number of diseases that result from drinking, which I keep highlighting," Kumar said.
The prohibition law should be strictly enforced in the state and stern action must be taken against those found involved in bootlegging, he said.
"If such people happen to be from outside the state, they also must be identified and brought under the dragnet," he added.
The chief minister also directed officials to take all possible measures to keep crime under control and underscored the need for countering "negativity spread against Bihar on the social media, by apprising the people of the good things that are happening here".