While the state government has asked excise officials to initiate stringent action, including invoking National Security Act and Goonda Act, against those selling adulterated liquor or overcharging for liquor or beer, the Excise department does not have a cell where complaints can be lodged. 

“We have no complaint cell as yet. The CUG numbers of excise inspectors and myself are written at model shops/desi liquor shops and we appeal to the public to call us in case of any irregularity,” said Lucknow district excise officer Janaradan Yadav. 

Yadav added that excise inspectors were armed with alcoholic metres to check the quality of alcohol on complaint. “Besides, we conduct random checkings of shops,” he added.      

About the number of complaints that the department received on these counts, Yadav said that no such complaints were received by him or excise inspectors till date.

Sources in the Excise department said that a number of liquor shop owners adulterated liquor by mixing water or some other brand of liquor. 

“Similarly, beer is mostly sold at a self-imposed premium of Rs 5-10 and in case of a complaint, the customers are denied beer cans or bottles. Mostly, tipplers ignore getting into a situation as they do not want to spoil their trip over a petty issue,” sources claimed. 

They said that customers complaining to excise officials hardly get any help. “There are instances when customers called excise inspectors and apprised them of overcharging on beer or whiskey but they were only given assurances and no action was ever initiated against any model shop owner,” an Excise department constable revealed.

The constable claimed that adulteration was done on a large scale in desi liquor. “In the past, some instances of adulteration were reported from Hardoi, Barabanki, Rae Bareli and other districts.  Salesmen used to sell even those brands. which were not approved by the department, to make a fast buck. They buy liquor from inter-state smugglers for small amount and lace the liquor being sold with the procured liquor before selling them to unsuspecting customers,” the sources said.