Uttarakhand Excise Officer suspended over laxity in liquor shop relocation

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 25 (ANI): After instructions from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Excise Commissioner Anuradha Pal has suspended District Excise Officer KP Singh with immediate effect in connection with allegations of laxity, false facts and misleading the officials regarding the shifting of liquor shops in Dehradun.
The recommendation made by the District Magistrate and the comment of the Chief Standing Advocate have also been made the basis of the matter. Due to the problem of road accidents and traffic jams in Dehradun, the capital, it was recommended in the meeting of the District Road Safety Committee held on March 27 to relocate six liquor shops.
Under this, the district administration had directed the Excise Department on May 13 to shift the shops within a week and submit the report by May 22. Despite this, no concrete action was taken within the stipulated time frame.
Meanwhile, the licensees filed a petition in the High Court, and there the District Excise Officer presented the facts without the recommendation of competent officers, which weakened the government's and administration's position in court.
The court disposed of the petition on June 27 and directed the government to conduct a revision hearing. The Principal Secretary of Excise also heard the matter and justified the DM's order, fixing July 31 as the last date for shifting the shops.
DM Savin Bansal termed KP Singh's role in the entire episode as irresponsible and recommended his immediate suspension, as well as a high-level investigation. When the matter reached the CM, he took immediate action and ordered strict action against the District Excise Officer. On which the Excise Commissioner, Anuradha Pal, has suspended him.
After this action, there has been a stir in the administration and the excise department. The message is clear: negligence will not be tolerated at any level, in line with the strict working style of Chief Minister Dhami.
Earlier, Dhami on Thursday approved changing the names of various schools in the state.
It includes Government Inter College Chipalghat, Pauri Garhwal, to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Rawat Government Inter College Chipalghat, Pauri Garhwal, Government Higher Secondary School, Maindrath (Chakrata) Dehradun to Pt. Sairam Government Higher Secondary School, Maindrath, (Chakrata) Dehradun, Government Higher Secondary School, Pundergaon, Pauri Garhwal, to freedom fighter Late Kunwar Singh Rawat, Government Higher Secondary School, Pundergaon, Pauri Garhwal and USIC. Didihat, Pithoragarh, to freedom fighter Late Shri Madho Singh Jangpangi USIC Didihat, Pithoragarh, a release read. (ANI)