JODHPUR: Liquor has always been considered a major influencer during elections . Candidates usually resort to bulk distribution of liquor among voters in order to woo them to vote in their favour. And this is the reason that the sale of liquor records a spurt during elections.With this evil practice prevalent during elections this time also, the excise department has braced itself to keep a watch on the sale of liquor as well as hoarding of liquor by the liquor contractors. The department has set up a bottom line of 30% excess sale of liquor above the average sale from every liquor counter.District excise officer Richpal Singh said that every liquor shop in the district will remain under strict watch of the department and wherever the sale is found to be 30% excess than the average sale of that shop, appropriate action will be taken. “For this, a sharp eye is being kept on the stock and supply of liquor from the state brewery near Mandore,” he said.He further said that the department has also been keeping a watch on hoarding of liquor by any contractor during elections. The department believes that once the names of the candidates are declared by the political parties, the candidates will put in entire might to woo the voters of their respective constituencies and liquor will be a major and important enticer.Amid this scene, threat of hazardous country made liquor also looms large with the strong presence of the kachhi bastis dotted across the city, which are infamous for brewing country-made liquor using chemicals like thinner (methyl alcohol). “Thinner is basically an industrial product but used in brewing country-made liquor at many habitations across the city. To check this, we have also bounded the industrial units, not to sell thinner for any purpose then industrial one,” an official said.On the other hand, supply of illicit liquor, mostly from Punjab and Haryana has also recorded a spurt. Police has recently seized many consignments transported in trucks and luxury cars. According to Rajan Dushyant (SP-Jodhpur Rural), all the police stations falling on the sensitive routes of liquor transportation have been sensitized.

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