Huge quantity of liquor, country made as well Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), was seized during stepped up raids across Bihar today, hours after total ban on alochol was clamped.
The total ban on alcohol sale and consumption announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday has resulted in drastic decline in footfalls in hotels, club and bar and restaurants in different parts of the state.
Om Prakash Gupta, Assistant Excise Commissioner, told PTI that 17,000 litres of country made liquor were seized in Chapra in raid.
In Malsalami of Patna, police recovered 90 cartons of country liquor hidden in a bush, Station House Officer Rajendra Prasad said.
A report from Kisanganj said 150 cartons of foreign liquor, headed for neighbouring Malda district of West Bengal was seized at Faring Gola check post.
The liquor coming from Silliguri bore stamp of West Bengal but there was no signature of any official and hence the Excise officials seized the liquor.
In Nalanda, the home district of the Chief Minister, 1,115 bottles of foreign liquor was seized from a hotel in Biharsharif and its owner arrested.
The control room, set up in the state police headquarters, said that altogether 25 complaints of illegal sale, stocking and consumption of liquor was received today and concerned officials were alerted for action against them.
The Nitish Kumar government had yesterday declared Bihar a dry state with imposition of a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect.
The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1 this year, but had allowed sale of IMFL in towns and cities.
But, as the Chief Minister asserted, the overwhelming response of people, particularly women and children against liquor in Patna and other towns in a short span of four days, prompted the government move for a total ban on liquor.
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Meanwhile, the decision of total ban has adversely effected business at hotels, bars and clubs across the state.
Vijay Sinha, owner of fancy Masala Junction bar cum restaurant in capital Patna said the clientele has fallen to 20 per cent since announcement of complete prohibition.
He rued sudden announcement of total ban without giving time to deal with stocks and considering future of people employed in liquor trade.
B D Singh, Manager of Maurya Hotel said there has been disappointment among visitors to the hotel over closure of bar.
Manager of New Patna Club, Shakeel Ahmad said that number of visitors have dropped drastically.
"Normally 250 people used to visit the club daily, but after the announcement of total prohibition yesterday, only 50-60 people visited us yesterday mainly to play cards," Ahmad said and expressed apprehension as what would happen to people employed in the club.
Reports from districts also painted a gloomy picture in places associated with liquor trade.
A report from Muzaffarpur said that the Muzaffarpur club is witnessing almost a shut down after the total prohibition decision.
"Only 5-6 persons visited the club last evening as against attendance of 50-60 on an average earlier," Ritesh Anupam, a life member of Muzaffarpur club said.
Striking a different note, Pradeep Kumar, owner of Sagar Beer bar in Darbhanga said though trade has been affected but he supported total ban on liquor which had adverse impact on health.
Reports from various parts of the state suggested habitual tipplers arriving in de-addiction centre opened in every district after imposition of total ban on liquor.
