DG Fire, DHS approached for necessary audit of all units
Breach of rules, safety measures, labour laws noticed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 12: Taking serious note of the reports about the breach of rules and safety measures, the Excise Commissioner has made annual inspection of all the distilleries, breweries, bottling units and liquor vends in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir compulsory. Moreover, Director General Fire and Emergency Services and Director Health Services have been approached for necessary audit of all such units so that lives of the workforce working there are not put to any sort of risk.
As per the rules and regulations, the licensees of distilleries, breweries and bottling plants are required to maintain the fixed standards while carrying out their activities as well as maintenance of the units.
Moreover, these units are required to ensure strict compliance to the Standard Operating Procedures and the Excise Officers are also required to ensure implementation of the same by keeping a close supervisory watch.
However, during recent inspection of one manufacturing unit in the immediate vicinity of Jammu city a complete breach of rules and the procedure by the proprietor was observed mainly due to lack of supervisory role by the concerned officers of the Excise Department.
The manufacturer was found violating almost all the rules and safety measures, which otherwise are expected from any industrial unit in normal course. Moreover, there was no strict adherence to the rules relating to sanitation, hygiene, fire safety and labour laws.
As there are reports about similar violations by other distilleries, breweries and bottling plants, the Excise Commissioner Rajesh Kumar Shavan has issued a number of instructions to the officers of the department for strict compliance in order to ensure the adoption of uniform Standard Operating Procedure by each and every licensee.
As per the order issued by the Excise Commissioner, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, the Deputy Excise Commissioner Distilleries will conduct inspections of all distilleries, breweries and bottling plants on annual basis and the same shall be mandatory before renewal of licenses.
Moreover, the Deputy Excise Commissioner (Accounts) will carry out random check of 25% units as per the instructions on quarterly basis and Deputy Excise Commissioner Executive concerned will carry out the annual inspection of 50% of the liquor vends in his jurisdiction. Similarly, the Excise and Taxation Officers will carry out 100% inspections.
As there are reports about lack of fire fighting equipments and extreme unhygienic conditions in several distilleries, breweries and bottling plants, the Excise Commissioner has asked the Technical Officer to take up the matter with the Director General, Fire and Emergency Services and Director of Health Services for necessary audit of these units so that lives of the workforce are not put to any sort of risk.
The Additional Secretary (Legal) has been asked to compile the data of habitual offenders with the assistance of the IT Programmer and share the same with the Deputy Excise Commissioner (Executive), Deputy Excise Commissioner (Distilleries) and Deputy Excise Commissioner (Accounts).
“The inspections of whole sale trades, retailers, bar with restaurants, bar with hotels and the unit canteen depots will also be carried out regularly by the concerned officers as per the check lists and there shall be no bar in carrying out inspections”, reads the order of the Excise Commissioner.
As per the sources, the decision to carry out inspections of the unit canteens has been taken to check bulk sale and payment of duty.
Disclosing that several formats have been devised for carrying out inspections, sources said that this will facilitate in getting information vis-a-vis whether the licensee has obtained a certificate from the Director Health Services to the effect that there is no objection on sanitary grounds to the construction of distillery premises or to the distillation of spirit and whether certificate has been obtained from the Fire and Emergency Services to the effect that the fire safety measures have been taken.
Moreover, this will help in obtaining information about provision of necessary equipment of safety to the workers like gloves, masks and shoes and whether hydrometer or specific gravity beads are available between every still and receiver and to ensure strict compliance to the labour laws.
Govt likely to hike retail excise duty by 50%
Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu is likely to clear the proposal of the Finance Department regarding 50% additional retail excise duty and reopening of standalone retail liquor vends in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that during the past few days discussion was going on about imposition of additional retail excise duty and finally the Finance Department has submitted a proposal for the consideration of the Administrative Council.
As per the proposal, additional retail excise duty at the rate of 50% on Maximum Retail Price will be imposed on IMFL/IFL, JK Special Whisky, Beer/RTD and Wine/Cider.
This will be done in pursuance of Section 16 of J&K Excise Act and in partial modification of SRO-128 dated February 25, 2019 read with SRO 112 dated March 27, 2020.
Moreover, the Administrative Council will take decision on the proposal relating to reopening of standalone retail liquor vends/wine shops except those located in the Containment Zone and in the malls and the shopping complexes in the UT of J&K subject to certain conditions.
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