Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that the state government will soon introduce holograms on liquor bottles to fight the growing problem of illegal alcohol trade. These holograms will help officials scan and verify details about the liquor, ensuring it is genuine and legally produced.
The announcement comes after a major incident last month, when a truck carrying liquor overturned and caught fire on the Dhargalim highway. The truck had reportedly entered the state without being registered at the border checkpost, raising concerns about how it bypassed security.
During a heated discussion in the state assembly, opposition MLAs questioned whether fake or “duplicate” alcohol is being made in Goa. CM Sawant responded, saying no such manufacturing is happening in the state. However, he admitted that the truck’s entry was not recorded and promised to tighten checks using hologram technology.
Opposition leader Yuri Alemao and MLA Venzy Veigas criticized the government’s slow response and lack of accountability. They pointed out that despite the incident happening on June 17, the authorities still haven’t identified where the liquor came from. The truck’s driver and cleaner fled the scene, and the consignment reportedly lacked necessary export permits.
CM Sawant said that local police and excise officers did reach the spot after the fire and recovered whatever liquor was unharmed. Labels from the bottles are being used to trace the source. So far, investigations have extended to Delhi and Haryana, and a letter has been sent to the Nagaland government—since the truck was from Nagaland—but no reply has been received yet.
The opposition also raised concerns about weak enforcement. Alemao revealed that while 1,395 liquor trade violations have been detected in Goa, action has been taken against only two excise inspectors. “Issuing show-cause notices is not enough. The government needs to act more seriously,” he said.
By TOI News
