Panaji: Shiv Sena today claimed to have successfully exposed the nexus between Excise Officials with those illegally selling liquor in protected areas specially wildlife sanctuaries.
Commissioner of Excise Amit Satija in his order on November 01, 2018 has cancelled the Excise Licence of one Asha Gawas who was illegally running a liquor outlet in Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.
“The Wildlife Protection Act makes it compulsory that wildlife areas should not be allowed for commercial exploitation. The licence for the premises was given by Excise Department on 30-08-2017 without even having No Objection Certificate from local Neturlim Village Panchayat,” Sena Spokesman Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik said addressing a press conference.
Sena has followed this case from a scratch by filing various applications under Right to Information which had exposed the nexus. The licence holder was allowed to by-pass all the norms by Excise Department officials, she said.
We will now file a formal complaint before Directorate of Vigilance against Assistant Commissioner of Excise Satyawan Bhivshet, Excise Inspector (Sanguem) Prashant Painginkar and all those who processed the application.
“We suspect that the bribes may have exchanged hands to get this licence. We will also move to Anti Corruption Bureau of Goa Police against the nexus,” she added.
“This nexus is spread across the State in the wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas. Sena will form its own teams to visit the areas with the help of locals and find out all these illegal liquor outlets which are set up in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act and State Excise Duty Act,” Naik stated.
Naik said that protection of wildlife areas and nature has always been the priority of Sena which has ‘tiger’ as its symbol. The campaign against these illegal outlets and nexus will continue across the State. We also appeal the people to come forward and bring to our notice such instances.
