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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday that the state has become the first in the country to legalise seizing of properties in cases of illegal and spurious liquor.
According to a release issued by the CMO, the Chief Minister assured strict measures against those involved in the trade of illegal and spurious liquor. "Recently, amendments were made to the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act 2011 during the monsoon session of the state assembly against individuals involved in unlawful activities. The most significant amendment is the introduction of a provision allowing for the seizure of property belonging to the individuals involved in illegal activities, as well as their relatives and associates, an aspect previously missing from the Act. Himachal Pradesh is the first state in the country to implement this provision. Furthermore, to enhance its effectiveness, such offence has now been made cognisable and non-bailable," the release mentioned. As per the CMO, the Chief Minister said that these new provisions would go a long way in controlling illegal liquor trade activities, as the amendments also include increased penalties and a longer duration of punishment under various sections of the Act. The amendment also recommended the establishment of an excise police force, which has also been proposed to expedite the handling of excise cases and discourage illegal activities. "The illegal sale of liquor to minors or their use as sales personnel is a serious crime. To address this, the new law provisions for penalties, including six months of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 50,000. To ensure the effective implementation of these provisions, enforcement agencies were being empowered," the CMO mentioned further. The Chief Minister highlighted the hooch tragedy in Mandi district in 2022, where eight people lost their lives due to the consumption of spurious liquor. He assured that stringent provisions were being implemented to avoid a recurrence of such incidents in the future. He also stressed the state government's efforts to combat the menace of drug abuse. The recruitment process for over 1,200 constables is underway, with a specific focus on effectively tackling such issues, the release added. (ANI)
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