Govt prefers hard liquor to beer

Team Udayavani, Sep 25, 2018, 3:39 PM IST

• Vendors planning to hold protest

Udupi: Under the searing sun and its heat, most alcohol lovers prefer a chilled beer. However, the state government thinks otherwise. In an attempt to fill its coffers by promoting the sales of liquor, the state government is putting its might to increase the sales of hard liquor or IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) while showing no interest in the sale of beer.

In other words, the government is compelling the liquor vendors of the district to sell more hard liquor. In response to this act do the government, the liquor vendors are planning to hold a protest against the government.

Partisan attitude by excise department

Apparently, the excise department itself is committing partiality. The department has reduced the number of boxes of beer sold with respect to the number of boxes of IMFL sold to the vendors. If a liquor vendor buys 100 boxes of hard liquor, then the department gives 40 to 50 box of beer. Most alcohol consumers prefer beer and occasionally indulge in hard liquor. However, since the rate of hard liquor has increased, consequently there is a rise in demand for beer which is relatively cheaper.

Vendors forced to buy more IMFL

Since the last couple of months, the liquor vendors in the district are being forced to buy more IMFL. The pressure tactics of the excise department has also reduced the beer purchases made by the vendors.

There is a decrease of 1341 boxes in comparison to last year’s purchase. In the fiscal year of 2017-18, there was an additional purchase of 8.83% of beer.

Further decrease in beer purchase by the vendors in the month of September is expected due to the excise department, accuses Govindraj Hegde, district president of Wine Merchants’ Association.

Vendors in the district bought 5,94,129 boxes of liquor from April to August 2017. However, the figure for the same period in 2018 is at 5,85,507. There is a decrease by 8622 boxes of hard liquor purchased when compared to last year. Of the five months in 2018, more hard liquor was purchased in the month of June and July at 42,328 boxes while the number dropped in the months of April, May and August to 33,706 boxes.

Hence, the excise department is now forcefully attempting to balance this drop in the purchase of liquor in the three months this year by pressurizing the vendors to buy more in the month of September.

Protest

If the issue is not resolved, then we have decided to hold a protest urging the excise department not to force us to buy more hard liquor. We have also decided during the recently held district liquor vendors meeting to inform the consumers of the government’s decision of not giving beer in sufficient quantity by displaying banners and boards, said Govindraj Hegde, district president of Wine Merchants’ Association.