In a letter to general managers of distilleries and breweries in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh last week, Haryanas prohibition & excise commissioner said the step is being taken to prevent some of the consignments that may be unloaded in Haryana from being transported through the state.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to general managers of sugar mills in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
The government proposes to provide an escort who will be made available on demand from the office of deputy excise & taxation commissioner (prohibition) at the states first entry point.
For this purpose, each brewery and sugar mill will have to give a weeks prior intimation to the deputy excise & taxation commissioner (prohibition) before the despatch of the consignment.
The letter, however, does not mention the date from which the new measure will be effective.
Any vehicle carrying such a consignment will be stopped at the entry point in the state and the driver will have to contact the office of the deputy taxation commissioner (prohibition) to get an escort.
The escort will accompany the consignment till it crosses the states borders.
If any consignment is found without an escort, the consignment will be confiscated, the letter adds.
The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverages Companies has urged the state government to reconsider its decision as more than 1,200 trucks and vehicles carrying IMFL, beer and molasses ply through the state every month and it will be difficult to implement it.
The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverages Companies has, instead, requested the Harayana government to ensure that an entry is made in a register as soon as a consignment enters the state and another entry is made at the exit point of its departure from the state.
The confederation believes this is a more efficient way of controlling on incidents of unloading in the state.
Some of the companies which have distilleries the state are trying to persuade the Harayana government to soften its stance as there is plenty of inter-state movement of consignments of IMFL, beer and molasses.
