Lifting of prohibition: No official order issued yet
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 12 2023:
Even as the State Cabinet had adopted a decision to lift the prohibition on liquor partially, the State Government has not yet issued any official order or gazette notification regarding the Cabinet decision.
Notably, the State Government promulgated the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act in 1991 and Manipur was declared a dry State.
Even after Manipur was declared a dry State with the promulgation of the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991, there was no decline in the sale and consumption of liquor.
With liquor of all types available all over the State and health problems related to consumption of spurious liquor and liquor of inferior quality rising alarmingly in the State, the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act was not serving its purpose.
Considering these facts, the State Government decided to lift prohibition from certain places.
It is said that partial lifting of the prohibition would help the Government regulate time and place of selling liquor as well as the quality of liquor.
It is also estimated that the partial lifting of prohibition would enable the Government earn a revenue of around Rs 600 crore annually.
Even though the State Cabinet adopted a decision to lift prohibition partially, the Government has not yet issued any official order or gazette notification of lifting the same, sources informed.
Nonetheless, formal discussions had been held at the level of the Excise Commissioner after setting up a committee on how to regulate sale and consumption of liquor in the State, said the sources.
The department concerned would take up necessary action after the matter is finalised at the Secretariat level.
As of now, no process has been initiated for issuing (liquor) licences.
Due notice would be published in media when the process of issuing licences is about to be started, said the sources.
Notably, the State Cabinet adopted a decision on September 20 last year to lift prohibition on liquor partially.
Even though no official order has been issued to this effect, sale of liquor seems to have increased considerably since the Cabinet decision and those people who are known for collecting money from liquor vendors have been carrying on their regular activity as usual, the sources added.
A number of civil society organisations particularly the Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol has been strongly opposing the decision of the State Cabinet to lift prohibition.