Bihar govt to seal houses if used for liquor storage

In a bid to implement liquor ban in Bihar, the Nitish Kumar government has approved a proposal to seal warehouses or any other premises used for storage, production, sale or import and export of liquor in Bihar.

Moreover, if any individual uses a section of a house for storage or area for consumption (House Bar) of liquor, the state government will seal that portion and will put it out for the auction.

An amendment to the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 was passed in the cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday evening.

Besides, any vehicle laden with liquor or liquor manufacturing materials and are bound to other states, such vehicles which are using the roads of Bihar, will have to go outside the state within 24 hours.

The vehicles carrying liquor or liquor manufacturing substances should have to declare the nature of material while entering into the territory of Bihar and authority will digitally log the timing of entry of the vehicles.

Though, the state government has not clarified about vehicles "stuck due to roadblock". In Bihar, villagers generally block roads including national highways in case of accidents. At present, some of the country's busiest national highways pass through Bihar, such as Delhi-Kolkata NH 19 (Earlier NH 2), Delhi-Lucknow-Darbhanga-Siliguri-Guwahati NH 27, NH 30, NH 31 etc.

The Nitish Kumar government has however exempted the storage of liquor in military cantonments. The liquor sale and consumption is allowed only for military personnel and officials inside the cantonment area. Any person who purchased liquor from a military canteen and then takes it outside is liable to face action under existing laws pertaining to liquor prohibition act. Ex-army personnel also cannot store liquor in their houses located in civil areas.