VIJAYAWADA: To curb illegal transportation of liquor and sand in Andhra Pradesh, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government has set up Special Enforcement Bureau (Liqour and Sand) that will function as an autonomous body and take strict measures against these crimes.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy took a decision in this regard in a recent review meeting with the excise minister, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, Director General of Police Gautam Sawang and other senior officials.
He asked the officials to come up with a strategy as there were chances of illegal transportation of liquor from border states after the Andhra Pradesh government introduced steps towards total prohibition.
As part of the measures, the government had reduced the number of wine shops by 20 per cent, besides removing 4,500 permit rooms and 43,000 belt shops.
After these stores resumed functioning after a gap of nearly 45 days following relaxation of lockdown, the government reduced their number further by 13 per cent and increased prices of alcohol by 75 per cent.
Stating that there should be no lapses in the functioning of the bureau, the CM said it will function on par with the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and Vigilance and Intelligence departments.
The Director General of Police will monitor the functioning of the bureau and a commissioner will be appointed as the Director of Prohibition.
On Saturday, the government issued a GO creating the Special Enforcement Bureau (Liquor and Sand), which will be part of the General Administration Department and headed by the DGP as the ex-officio principal secretary to the government. The bureau will have a commissionerate headed by the commissioner who will be the head of the department (HoD) in the rank of Inspector General of Police or above.
There will be one additional SP or assistant SP in each district for all the 18 police units. Seven officers will be of IPS rank and the remaining will be non-cadre. Assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) will work under the commissioner in districts and each ASP will have 20 to 30 personnel working under him. They would be coordinating with district SPs. Border districts, where chances of illegal transportation of liquor are more, will have IPS officers as in-charge who will report to the commissioner. The primary responsibility of the bureau is to prevent smuggling of alcohol, preparation of illicit liquor and corruption in sand transportation in the state.
Andhra Pradesh tipplers buying liquor from Telangana
As the Andhra Pradesh government has increased liquor prices by 75 per cent, people living in border villages are opting to buy alcohol from Telangana. Such border crossing are reportedly taking place in West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Kurnool, which share border with the state.
As such, both AP and Telangana police have alerted excise departments to conduct inspections, said Krishna SP M Ravindranath Babu. On Saturday, police arrested a gang for selling liquor purchased in Telangana and seized around 113 liquor bottles worth Rs 1 lakh. “The accused crossed AP border at Yerrupalem and was caught selling liquor in Jayanthi village,” said Nandigama DSP GV Ramana Murthy
Police chief to head department
The primary responsibility of the bureau is to prevent smuggling of alcohol, preparation of illicit liquor and corruption in sand transportation in the state. It will be headed by the DGP.