Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday that Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to make a provision for property seizure in cases of illegal and spurious liquor.

He said that the state government was taking strict measures against those involved in the trade of illegal and spurious liquor. Recently, amendments were made to the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act 2011 during the monsoon session of the State Assembly, tightening the noose against individuals involved in unlawful activities.

“The most significant amendment is the introduction of a provision allowing for the seizure of property belonging to individuals involved in illegal activities, as well as their relatives and associates, an aspect previously missing from the Act. Himachal Pradesh is the first state in the country to implement this provision. Furthermore, to enhance its effectiveness, these offences have now been made cognisable and non-bailable,” he said.

Sukhu further said that the new provisions will go a long way in controlling illegal liquor trade activities, as the amendments also include increased penalties and longer durations of punishment under various sections of the Act.

“The illegal sale of liquor to minors or their use as sales personnel is a serious crime and to address this, the new law included provisions for penalties, such as six months of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 50,000. He added that in order to ensure effective implementation of these provisions, enforcement agencies are being empowered,” he said.

The establishment of an Excise Police force has also been proposed to expedite the handling of excise cases and discourage illegal activities, he added.

Recalling the Hooch Tragedy in Mandi district in 2022, where eight people lost their lives due to the consumption of spurious liquor, he assured that stringent provisions were being implemented to avoid a recurrence of such incidents in the future.

“The state government was taking defining steps to combat the menace of drug abuse. The recruitment process for over 1,200 constables is underway, with a specific focus on effectively tackling such issues,” the Chief Minister said.