SHOs to face action over illegal liquor lapses, says AP excise chief

Vijayawada: Issuing a stern warning that station house officers (SHOs) will face strict departmental action for failing to curb violations, prohibition and excise commissioner Chamakuri Sridhar on Thursday directed field officials to tighten enforcement and ensure zero tolerance towards illegal liquor activity. He made it clear that any lapse in controlling illicit trade or failure to meet enforcement targets within their jurisdictions would not be tolerated as the state pushes for a more accountable and crime-free excise administration.The commissioner's remarks came during a detailed SHO-wise review meeting covering excise operations in the Eluru and Rajahmundry regions. The review spanned districts including Eluru, Bhimavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema and East Godavari, focusing on illegal liquor control, digital monitoring and safeguarding revenue integrity. Moving beyond conventional district-level assessments, Sridhar conducted an individual performance review of each SHO. He examined the extent of illicitly distilled liquor and the prevalence of illegal "belt shops" in respective jurisdictions. Staff strength at the station level and its effective utilisation for enforcement activities such as raids and patrolling were also scrutinised.A key focus area of the review was the mandatory implementation of the Surakshaa App. Sridhar directed all SHOs to ensure 100% compliance in scanning liquor stock within their limits. The app facilitates real-time tracking of liquor movement from depots to retail outlets and consumers. The officials were told that any mismatch between stock offtake and scanned sales would be closely monitored to detect diversion of non-duty-paid liquor.The commissioner also stressed the need for frequent inspections of licensed premises. SHOs were instructed to carry out surprise checks at liquor shops and bars to ensure adherence to operational norms, including timings and permitted capacities. He further ordered increased collection of liquor samples for chemical analysis to prevent the sale of adulterated or unsafe products.Reviewing comparative data, Sridhar noted that growth in legitimate revenue is closely linked to effective suppression of illegal trade. He emphasised the need to strike a balance between stringent enforcement and sustained revenue generation.The commissioner conducted an inspection at a wine shop in Eluru town, where he used the Surakshaa App to verify stock authenticity through digital scanning. He directed officials to carry out random bottle checks to eliminate the circulation of spurious liquor and ensure that only genuine stock reaches consumers.Senior officials including DC Sreelatha, AC Prabhu Kumar, DPEO Eluru Avulaiah, DPEO West Godavari Subba Rao, DC Kakinada Chaitanya Murali, DPEO Rajahmundry Sreelatha and DPEO Konaseema Kumareswaran attended the review meeting.