Checking at Goa-K'taka border intensifies

Authorities fear liquor smuggling due to elections

THE GOAN NETWORK

BELAGAVI: On the threshold of elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council on June 9, the district administration has stepped up checking for Goan liquor being illegally carried to Belagavi and other areas.

Intensifying the checking operations, the authorities are closely monitoring the movement of all vehicles from Goa.

Karnataka has a bicameral legislative house comprising the legislative council (the upper house) with 75 members elected by various constituents as Members of Legislative Council (MLC) and the legislative assembly (the lower house) comprising 225 members elected by the people as Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA).

Four MLCs from the state, two belonging to the graduates’ constituency and the other two belonging to the teachers constituency will retire on July 4, hence these elections are being held.

The North West constituency comprises districts of Belagavi, Bagalkote and Vijaypura. In all, 1,78,965 graduates and 26,955 high school teachers will exercise their votes for two MLC seats in North West Karnataka.

When contacted, Excise DySP Jagdish Kulkarni said be it any elections, the bootleggers in Goa and Karnataka enhance their activities in an attempt to transport liquor across the border in maximum possible quantity.

“The excise personnel at Kankumbi and all other check posts have been directed to remain on high alert and check every vehicle from Goa. Thus fearing strict checking, the illegal transportation of Goa liquor to Karnataka is at bay till date and no major incident was reported since last couple of months,” said Kulkarni.

“However, as the election date approaches, we anticipate increase in illegal transportation of liquor from across the border, due to which we have maintained a 24x7 alert,” DySP Kulkarni added.

Commuters from Goa are being checked thoroughly by the excise personnel of Karnataka at Kankumbi, Anmod and other check posts across the border.