Strengthen Excise department
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 21 2011 -

The government decision to reactivate the almost defunct Excise department deserves appreciation, though it appears to be prompted merely by expediency of the approaching election to the 19th Manipur State Legislature.

The understanding behind this decision being that during the run up to the elections, the prospective candidates would use various brands of local brews as also the Indian manufactured foreign liquors to lure voters. This of course is an understandable apprehension which our past experience of previous elections amply bears out.

In every other election this state has witnessed, besides other allurements, feastings and drinks in every other localities sponsored by the candidates has become a norm rather than an exception. Which is makes the role of the Excise department as also other law enforcing agencies all the more significant during times of election.

But why only during election time, why can't and why shouldn't the state have a robust, vigilant and active Excise department. Anyone with a passing awareness of the state of affairs in the present day Manipur would realize how much the excise department is needed.

Manipur was declared a 'dry state' more than a decade back on April 1, 1999 by the then state government following a massive movement by the Meira Paibis against the sale and consumption of liquor as a reaction to rampant alcoholism. Licensed liquor shops closed down but liquor continued to be available in the state and today we have come to situation where no alcoholic, no connoisseur of wine and liquor, so social drinker will be denied his or share because for want of supply.

All that prohibition in the state has done is, one, it has denied huge amount of revenue to the state exchequer and two, it has driven the whole liquor business underground.

And though we can put an estimate on the scale of this business, we are sure it must be very significant considering the number of customers and the free rein they have over the pricing. Many of these vendors operate right under the nose of the law enforcing agencies and are as good as licensed shops. Letting this underground liquor establishment bloom is harmful for various reasons.

Other than the social cost and benefit of prohibition, which, any way, is debatable. Unlicensed sale of liquor also exposes the customers to spurious products which can cause fatalities instantly.

Now if there is prohibition in the state by law, shouldn't it be enforced in letter and spirit, government should have realized that closing down licensed shops was never going to be an answer.

The Excise department over the years has become totally ineffective and now it is almost defunct. In some ways this was bound to happen considering the dangers of operating in a state like Manipur, the lack of adequate staff, lack of coordination with the police and of course the lack of sincerity and dedication towards their call of duty among its staff as in other government departments of the state, where earning a quick buck again is the norm and not an exception.

Consequently, the vacuum left by excise department was filled in by sundry voluntary organizations, students' organizations, local clubs, meira paibis etc.

Every other day, we hear of these organizations seizing and burning of local brews, Indian made foreign liquour, and various other intoxicating substance in every nook and corner of the state.

Excise department was conspicuous by its absence all this while, maybe they were watching from the sidelines.

After all these years, as if waking up from a slumber, one excise official reminded for everybody's benefit that it is only Excise department and no other organizations or government agencies which is empowered to raid and confiscate illicit liquor and other intoxicants.

Though late in the day, this sudden awareness of ones jurisdictions and power, we would like to view as a positive sign.

The Government on its part should instead of trying to altogether dismantle the Excise department, as it is planning to do by inducting its staff into the State Disaster Management Force, should find ways and means to strengthen it.

Financial constraints cannot be a valid reason for writing the epitaph of such an important agency in Manipur given its present condition.