Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 May, 2023 11:02 AM
Chandigarh, May 29 (IANS) The Excise Department in Punjab has carried out a massive statewide checking and monitoring operation in liquor bars, and took action against the violators.
Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Sunday this special drive, named 'Night Sweep', was launched to check the menace of smoking hookahs and other illegal activities in bars, pubs and restaurants.
He said more than 13 teams swung into action on Saturday night under the direct supervision of Financial Commissioner Taxation Vikas Partap and Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam.
He said in Mohali district's Nayagaon area, restaurant 'I love Hot shot' was found serving 'hookahs' to its customers for smoking along with beer which was meant for sale in Chandigarh only, thereby violating various provisions of law.
During the search, 20 hookahs, seven bottles of beer, various tobacco flavours and charcoal were confiscated. A case has been registered against owners of the restaurant under various provisions of the Punjab Excise Act 1914, the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act 2003, the Poison Act 1919 and Indian Penal Code in Nayagaon.
In addition, in the Bestech Mall in Sector 66 in Mohali three bars -- 'Burj' (W White Hospitality), 'Skull' (Friend's Hospitality) and 'Mask Lounge & Bars' -- were found carrying out their operations beyond permitted timings.
Resultantly, the penal action has been initiated against these violating bars.
He said in Amritsar bar 'Peddlers Bar' was found operating beyond permitted time limit and was also serving the liquor to persons below 25 years of age.
During the search of the bar, 17 bottles of non-duty paid liquor and five bottles of expired beer was found which were confiscated on the spot.
Similarly, in Jalandhar bar 'Peddlers' was found operating beyond permitted time limit.
The minister said the excise teams on the ground were led by the Additional Commissioner (Excise) Naresh Dubey and AIG (Excise) Gurjot Singh Kler along with other senior officers of the department.
"Officers of the Health Department were also roped in. Each team had at least one woman officer and one Health department's representative in it," he added.
Highlighting the significance of operation Night Sweep, minister Cheema said the operation was aimed at the checking of smoking of hookahs at bars and restaurants considering the detrimental effects of smoking these hookahs on health, which contains harmful substances such as nicotine, known to be carcinogenic.
Badal was reacting to media reports, which quoted the Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor as saying that the varsity is facing a "dark future" and demanded that the budgetary grant should be over Rs 300 crore. "The university is already under a debt of Rs 150 crore and is not in a position to pay salaries on time," Vice-Chancellor Professor Arvind has said.
Announcing this here, SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said a decision to this effect had been taken under the leadership of party President Sukhbir Badal following a meeting with constituency in-charges and senior BSP leadership.
Earlier in the day, the court deferred hearing in Sisodia's bail application for March 21, in the same case being probed by the CBI. Special CBI Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Courts has ordered Sisodia to be produced before court on March 17 at 2 p.m.
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday recovered an AK series rifle along with two magazines and 40 rounds of ammunition from a field in Gurdaspur sector after shooting down a drone. During the search, BSF troops found a hexacopter along with the weapon and ammunition.
The Chief Minister said the government has so far given 26,797 jobs to youth, adding that the budget stipulates to regularly recruit and create an ecosystem for private jobs for Punjabis to check brain drain.
The Tihar authorities said that Sisodia will remain in jail. The senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has been arrested a day before the hearing on his bail plea in the matter.
