After use of drone, the Bihar government has now pressed a drone-fitted helicopter to locate illegal manufacturing units and smuggling of liquor in the dry State. Bihar was declared a dry State in April 2016.
The helicopter, said a State excise and prohibition department official, was able to locate several illegal breweries in riverine areas from Buxar (in the western part of the State) to Katihar (in the eastern part) and about 5,000 litres of countrymade liquor were seized with its help in the past two days.
Recently, the government had started using drones to locate illicit liquor manufacturing units and people involved in its trade. “The five-seater helicopter, including the pilot, has officials from the excise department, geospatial engineers and detection experts. Unmanned drones are also part of it for detection of breweries,” said the excise official. The helicopter can fly continuously for six to seven hours, he added.
The helicopter was pressed into service on February 22 and in the past two days, said the official, several manufacturing units of desi (countrymade) liquor — especially in the riverine areas of Patna, Vaishali and Saran districts — have been spotted and destroyed with the help of local police and excise officials.
“From February 1 to 12, 554 raids were conducted with the help of 17 drones in districts like Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Bhojpur, Champaran, Begusarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur, Kishanganj and Supaul,” said the official, adding that 131 cases have been registered and 1,62,592 litres of liquor seized and destroyed.
Oppn. criticism
The Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) leaders slammed the Nitish Kumar government for “misusing government money”. “Teachers of the State have not received their salary for January and we are nearing February-end. Similarly, junior doctors are not getting their stipend. But the government has been splurging money in hiring helicopters to detect illegal liquor units. Nothing could be more ridiculous,” said State Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari.
