Scores of people complain that the wine traders making fast buck in terms of selling the wines by indulging into overcharging as the Excise department in deep Slumber. At least the department should upload prices list of all kind of wine being sold in J&K.
Mohd Irfan
People of the Jammu are complaining that at the respective wine shops due to the Non availability of rate lists of the wines traders is selling at the whopping price and the excise department who has to regulate the price of wine are miserably failed to do the same resultant there in the masses have to cough up much money in buying the wines.
Hidden News received numbers of distressed calls and complaints where in people stating that the traders are fleecing and deceiving them on account of price of the wines as they are selling the wines at their own whims and fancies without any fear of the Excise department.
“Traders of wine shops across the Jammu are minting money in whopping amount by throwing the rate list of the Excise department to dustbin, aggrieved and dejected masses while narrating their ordeal which they encountering at the hands of these traders who are not ready to sold the wine at the prescribed rates of the department”, they lamented while divulging the details to the hidden news.
“Number of times there takes place confrontation between us regarding the price of wine but these traders not ready to listen to our pleas, they regretted adding, as if there is none at the top to oversee the prices of wines and these traders are calling the shots by violating the rate lists. Traders categorically stated that there takes place hike in the prices of wines as such we are selling the same but when confront them show the rate lists of the Excise department, they outrightly refused to the share the same”, Masses who daily buy the wines at the respective shops across the Jammu expressed their deep anguish and anger against these traders who of their own increased the prices of wines.
Excise department failure to checked the prices of wine results in facing precarious situation for these gullible masses who have to suffer for no fault of theirs since past several weeks. Social Activist pleading anonymity rued “People are facing hardships on account of failure of the excise department to share the rate lists of wines adding, as such these traders are making hay while the sun shines” he asserted.
“You have to pay 10-20 rupees beyond the MRP on the liquor bottles. In many states/UTs prices of wine have been reduced in recent past, Delhi Government has slashed prices of wine, in being a UT the prices of wine should also be at par with other UTs, but here people are paying more than printed rates”, said an observer, adding that he frequently sees cases of over charging at wine store on social media, but the custodian of this trade, the Excise Department seems unbothered to tackle this mess.
“Excise department vested with the powers to ensure that these traders comply with the rate lists of the department and not fleeced the masses adding, he further said that the excise department earns revenue in crores and it’s their obligation cast upon them to direct the traders of wines to implement the excise department prescribed rate lists of the wines in its true letter and spirit”, he maintained. Talking to the Hidden News, Excise Commissioner J&K, Pankaj Sharma said “We have ensured that display of the rate lists at wine shops adding, told to this scribe if you have any specific complaint of any wine shops we would surely booked and penalized it under law”, he maintained. When asked that people are still complaining day in and day out of overcharging at wine stores, Excise Commissioner categorically stated that he has directed the Excise Taxation Officers (ETOs) and inspectors of the respective areas to ensure the display of rate lists coupled with that of CCTVs also by these wine traders and if any wine shops don’t display the rate lists and installed the CCTVs which are mandatory as we directed them ,their shops would be sealed at the very outset. He further reiterate that still if you found any specific wine shops not display the rate lists apprise us, then we would booked it but as of now there is no such wine shops in our knowledge which not displayed the rate lists “Excise Commissioner assured this reporter in response to his query.
