Aizawl:Drinkers in Mizoram are making long queues in front of excise & narcotic offices across the eight districts of Mizoram to get forms for license with the lifting of the total prohibition of liquor after 17 years.
Forms were issued from December 23 last year, and till January 17, nearly 20,000 forms were issued, excise & narcotic department sou-rces said.
The new law Mizoram Liquor Prohibition & Control (MLPC) Act 2014, which comes in force from January 15, allows any person above the age of 21 to buy, possess and drink six bottles of hard liquor a month.
However, wine shops are yet to come up.
As suggested by the state government, three of the state PSUs – Mifco (Mizoram food & allied industries corporation), Zidco (Zoram industrial development corporation limited) and Mamco (Mizo-ram agriculture marketing corporation) – have applied for vendor licences.
Excise & narcotic minister R Lalzirliana has said liquor outlets will open across the state by the first week of March.
Meanwhile, five persons have so far been arrested under the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition and Control) Act that has stringent provisions to punish offenders, including those who cause public nuisance and who drink in public spaces.
Those arrested were on Friday sentenced to perform three days of community service each while one was fined Rs 1000 after being arrested for drunk driving by law enforcement agencies. (UNI)
