By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Excise Minister AT Mondal in a light spirit made an ardent appeal to his fellow legislators to stop taking alcohol since it affects one’s health.
“Personally, I don’t drink alcohol. But I would also like my fellow legislators to stop drinking,” Mondal said while replying to a Cut Motion moved by Ronchugiri NCP legislator James K Sangma in the Assembly on Thursday.
The Excise Minister went on to say that consuming of alcohol is not good for the health.
While appealing to the legislators to stop drinking, Mondal also used the famous proverb ‘charity should begin at home’
Mondal in fact made this appealed while replying to the antidote of Ronchugiri NCP legislator James K Sangma.
Sangma had said that there are two traders- one who owned a medical store and the other a wine store.
He said that the person who owns a medical after getting up in the morning would pray that many people would visit his pharmacy to purchase medicines.
On the other hand, he said that the person who owned a wine store would pray that people should be in happy mood so they would have the tendency to drink.
Reacting to this antidote, Mondal said that people also drink when they are sad.
While pointing that people just need a reason for drinking, he said that there is a common saying in Hindi “Peenewalo Ko To Bahana Chahiye”.
However, Ronchugiri NCP legislator assured that he would stop drinking..
On the random issuing of license by the department for setting up of wine stores, he said that the department is alive about the issue.
“We are contemplating to bring certain amendments to the state incorporate stringent conditions for obtaining of liquor licenses,” he said while adding that the new amendments would make clear where should liquor shops be located and where not.
“The inspection wing of the department goes on raids frequently even on the highways and make their presence felt,” he said.
On a specific issue raised by Mr Sangma onthe presence of a liquor shop in the vicinity of Sherwood School in Tura, the Excise Minister said that the department has asked the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills district to do a thorough enquiry and to take action on any one found guilty.
Meanwhile, Excise Minister informed that there has been a quantum jump in the revenue after the introduction of holograms on liquor bottles.
Through the affixation of the hologram in the liquor excluding the Excise duties, he said that the Government had earned a revenue of Rs 92 lakh in 2010-2011 while an amount of Rs 86 lakh was generated as revenue till February this year.
Replying to the cut motion raised by the opposition NCP legislator, James K Sangma, the Excise Minister assuaging the concern of the legislator on the issue of contract given to Uflex, Noida for affixing hologram on liquor bottles in the State said that the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the pilot project was done in a transparent manner.
He informed that six firms took part in the EOI floated on December 16, 2008 out of which three were shortlisted and Uflex which quoted Rs 1.52 paise was finally given the contract for affixing holograms on liquor bottles.
Mr Mondal also informed that on March 5, 2009, the Cabinet cleared the contract given to the firm from Noida for the pilot project.
Earlier, initiating the discussion on the cut motion on the “policy of the Excise Department”, the NCP legislator said that even though liquor shops are earning revenue but it is poisoning the younger generations.
Mr Sangma also said that the people involved in issuing licence to the liquor shop in the vicinity of Sherwood school should be prosecuted.
Congress legislator from Mylliem, Ronnie V Lyngdoh expressed concerned over drunken driving and the easy availability of liquor on national highways.