Chandigarh May 6: Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal directed all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to constitute district level teams headed by a Magistrate and comprising of officers of Police and Excise and Taxation Department so as to eradicate smuggling of illegal liquor across the inter-state borders and also to prevent the supply of non-duty paid liquor from the distilleries to the vends.

Mr Manohar Lal was presiding over a meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) through video conferencing here today. Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Dushyant Chautala was also present in the meeting.

The Chief Minister also appreciated the DCs and SPs for their efforts in containing the spread of Corona virus in the State.

The Chief Minister directed the DCs and SPs to ensure quick installation and regular monitoring of flow meters in every distillery. While directing the SPs to identify illegal godowns of liquor, if any, in their districts, he said that an inventory of such liquor seized by police should also be prepared.

The Chief Minister asked the DCs and SPs to ensure that vehicles carrying mining material and having valid e–Rawana slip should not be stopped unnecessarily. He said that 400 to 500 vehicles involved in illegal mining have been impounded in the State with maximum number of such vehicles from the districts of Sonipat, Ambala, Faridabad, Narnaul, Palwal and Panchkula. He asked the DCs of these districts to ensure that if the owner failed to get their vehicle released, they should start the process for the auction of such vehicles.

Mr Manohar Lal said that though the migrant labourers are eager to return to their home towns, the concerned Deputy Commissioners should try to pacify them to remain in Haryana as after the lockdown, industrial and other economic activities have been resumed in the State in a phased manner. For the agricultural labour and other migrant labour from other States of India who are keen on returning, the registration process has been started at the local level.

He said that today, the State Government has sent a special train for the migrant labourers from Hisar to Katihar in Bihar. Apart from this, 8 more trains would also be sent to various destinations in the next one or two days. In addition, arrangement of buses has also been made for the migrant labourers going to Uttar Pradesh. He said that as the Home Department has issued SOPs in this regard, all the DCs and SPs should ensure that these are followed in letter and spirit to facilitate the return of migrant labour and other agricultural labour in a safe and systematic manner.

The Chief Minister also asked the DCs to ensure the supply of distress ration for the month of May and June to the unorganized labour who do not have any ration cards. He said that it should be ensured that no such person remains deprived of food.

Among those present in the meeting included Chief Secretary, Mrs Keshni Anand Arora, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr Rajesh Khullar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Mr Vijai Vardhan, Principal Secretary, Excise and Taxation Mr Anurag Rastogi, Director General of Police Mr Manoj Yadava and ADGP CID Mr Anil Rao.