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In a bid to reduce death and accidents caused due to drunk driving, the Maharashtra government is planning to introduce a new policy in the state, which will see liquor now being delivered at home.
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Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Minister of state for excise duty, confirmed to the Times of India that Maharashtra government is indeed planning to bring the policy. It will be a game changer for the liquor industry, he believes.
“The main objective is to reduce growing cases of drunken driving due to which there have been many accidents and resulted in great loss of lives,” said Bawankule to the national daily. “It will be similar to the way goods are delivered by the other merchandise. Just like citizens are getting groceries and vegetables at home,” he added.
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The delivery process will also ensure that the customers buying online liquor meet the required age criteria. The sellers will take complete details of the customers, which include Aadhaar details, said the minister.
The report in the national daily states that 1.5% of the total of 4.64 lakh road accidents in 2015 were caused by drunken driving or drug driving. It resulted in injuries to 6,295 people from which 2,988 people died.
Bawankule also added that the liquor bottles will be geo-tagged to keep track of the manufacturing company and their sale. “The tagging will be done on the cap of the bottle. We can track the bottle all the way from the manufacturer to the consumer. It will help curb the sale of spurious liquor and also smuggling,” he said.
Activist Paromita Goswami, however, criticised the move as ‘unconstitutional’ and something that would have several ‘adverse effects’.
“Article 47 of the Indian constitution clearly prohibits the sale of intoxicating drinks that may lead to injury or death. The government should rethink the move that may increase liquor addiction in the state,” she said to the daily.
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