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Milking Maharashtra dry

Updated on: 19 May,2009 07:47 AM IST |
J Dey |

Five dry days recently bled the state of Rs 550 crore, yet nobody has a clue why the provision is there in the first place; cops 'simply follow orders'

Five dry days recently bled the state of Rs 550 crore, yet nobody has a clue why the provision is there in the first place; cops 'simply follow orders'

The recent array of dry days, during the Lok Sabha elections affects not just tipplers, but also state exchequer with an estimated loss of Rs 550 crore. Alcohol consumption was banned on five days, when the state went to polls and included counting day.

Deputy Superintendent of Excise R B Patil confirmed that the annual revenue from the sale of liquor in the state is estimated around Rs 40,000 crore. The daily revenue is estimated at over Rs 100 crore. He added that the excise department only manages to spend 0.05 per cent of the revenue generated from the sale of liquor.

Commissioner of Police Hasan Gafoor was not aware when the first dry day was enforced. "It could be around 1956," recalled Gafoor.

Senior police officers are equally unsure of the significance of dry days. "We simply follow orders," said an officer on condition of anonymity.

Started at mills
Sources informed that a dry day was first enforced on the 10th of every month when the city's mills were flourishing.

This was the day whenu00a0 mill workers received their monthly salary, and the idea was to prevent the workers from spending all their money on alcohol.

0.05 %
The amount that the state excise department spends from the revenue generated from the sale of liquor

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