Mumbai: The Maharashtra govt reconstituted taluka-level committees to strengthen the crackdown on the manufacture and sale of illicit liquor, while fixing direct accountability on the officer-in-charge of the local police station and the state excise inspector of respective jurisdiction for any illegal liquor activity in their area.The committees were originally constituted in 2005 to monitor and prevent illicit liquor production and sales through regular reviews at the taluka level.In a Govet Resolution (GR) issued on Monday, the state said the panels were restructured in line with the provisions of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949, under which preventive powers in prohibition matters were vested with the sub-divisional officer and the sub-divisional magistrate.Under the revised structure, the sub-divisional magistrate will head the committee, with the sub-divisional police officer, deputy superintendent of state excise, tehsildar, the police station in-charge concerned, and the state excise inspector among its members.The committee shall monitor whether the GOs issued from time to time for curbing illicit liquor activities are being strictly implemented. The officer-in-charge of the concerned police station and the Inspector of the State Excise Department shall be held responsible for matters relating to illegal liquor activities.The committee’s jurisdiction covered the entire taluka, irrespective of the number of police stations in the area. It was directed to meet at least once every month to review enforcement of prohibition measures and recommend steps to eliminate illicit country liquor operations.The government resolution also directed the director general of Police and the commissioner of state excise to issue immediate instructions to subordinate offices to ensure stricter enforcement against illegal liquor activities across the state.
