In compliance with the orders of election commission to clamp down the practice of booze for vote ahead of assembly polls, the state excise department has come out with a few first of its kind initiatives.
The department has formed an excise economic intelligence unit to analyze data pertaining to sale of foreign and country made liquor and analyse it. The officials will work in coordination with the Human Intelligence (Humint) units.
To collect the data in real time the department has connected all officers by a special Whatsapp group and the MahaExcise blog.
"The excise economic intelligence unit is an IT system that studies data and trends and flags the problem areas. We are the only excise department in the country to have with this," said Sanjay Mukherjee, excise commissioner, Maharashtra state department.
The groups monitor everything connected to liquor in the state. "At the district level, reports are being filed on a daily basis. They are first captured through WhatsApp groups and then fed into our software, which compiles the data and makes a daily report of the entire state which are being submitted to the election commission and the newly formed Unit for analysis," said a senior officer.
Besides this the department in a first has installed more than 465 CCTV cameras across the state. The drive covers all liquor manufacturers and wholesalers. Also, in another first, all 22 border check posts have been put under video surveillance.
"There is also a special focus on border sealing to prevent illicit inflows from neighbouring states. Our officials have been in touch with senior officials of neighbouring states for better co-ordination," said the officer. The department is also claiming to have coordinated with police and railways for better enforcement of law.
"We are also keeping a close eye on import and export of potable liquor," the officer added.
Last week, the department seized liquor worth about Rs1 crore that had been sneaked into Maharashtra from Goa and Haryana. The department had confiscated liquor and materials worth over Rs 7.66cr during Lok Sabha polls.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}