The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) on Sunday said the existence of the excise department in the state has become “questionable” and a “mockery in itself”.
The CNTC expressed serious concern over the alarming spurt in adulterated liquor dens and outlets a day after the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) set a 7-day deadline to the authorities to close all liquor shops in Dimapur.
The DNSU served an ultimatum to Dimapur commissioner of excise with effect from Saturday to close down all illegal liquor dens, outlets and thoroughly check flow of liquor in the town within seven days.
Also read: Dimapur Naga Students’ Union sets seven-day deadline for closure of liquor shops
Lauding the DNSU, the CNTC asked the Dimapur Municipal Council how the liquor dens, especially those in the garb of mineral water bottle outlets selling spurious and adulterated liquor, have procured their trade licenses and for what purpose.
The council appealed to all the gaon burhas (village chiefs), chairmen and colony councils to penalise the house owners and landlords in whose premises those dens and outlets were being run.
It said most of these outlets are located near schools and colleges causing deep negative impact with harmful consequences on the children.
It asserted that the presence of such spurious liquor outlets in almost every neighbourhood should be locked down by the respective colony councils.
The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) questioned the district administration why it has allowed this “nefarious activity” to continue right under its nose.
It urged the Dimapur commissioner of police to take some exemplary action against those police personnel who are seen collecting their “daily quota” of money from these outlets.
“These policemen are bringing disrepute to uniform service by becoming cheap purchasable commodities of being by made a buyable item by some few bottles of adulterated liquor,” the council said.
The council also urged the churches to stop seeking and receiving donations from those kingpins of liquor syndicate and liquor barons as the church’s very stand on prohibition has become completely questionable and hypocrisy.