All Hyd pubs asked to install CCTVs within a month, eliminate blind spots

Hyderabad: Telangana Excise and Prohibition minister Srinivas Goud has asked all city pubs to install CCTVs on their premises within a month. Pubs with no cameras will be temporarily closed and re-opened only once they install CCTVs. Further, pub owners must share the CCTV server with the police or the Excise department. The CCTV should cover the entire pub and leave no blind spots, and pub owners should not authorise anyone else to monitor the CCTV footage.

The Excise and Prohibition department will hold a month-long special drive to inspect bars and restaurants, star hotels, and pubs in the city to check noise and timing violations. The area officer will be responsible for pubs running beyond the stipulated time.

During a meeting of Excise officials and pubs and bar owners, minister Srinivas Goud said, "Businessmen (pub owners) involved in doing drugs better leave Hyderabad. The TRS government will ensure that culprits face prosecution, irrespective of their background. The department has leads and if needed, all pubs involved in drugs will be closed." He said the Excise and Prohibition department will keep an eye on pubs operating a separate app for events.

Excise and Prohibition commissioner Sarfaraj Ahmed said the pubs must search customers, DJs, and employees before granting them entry. They have been asked to instruct the staff to keep a vigil on suspicious customers doing drugs in blind spots like washroom areas. Pubs must hire or appoint staff to keep track of CCTV footage. "There are over 700 bars and restaurants in the GHMC area. It is humanly impossible for the Excise and Prohibition department to keep track of the CCTV footage," Mr. Ahmed said. He further said that no minors should be allowed into pubs. They can be allowed when accompanied by their parents.

The 2B license granted to star hotels to operate 24 hours is only for consumption and serving of liquor. It does not include permission to hold parties beyond the stipulated time. Any pub holding events beyond permissible hours will face cancellation of license.

Weekly crime report

As per the State Excise Crime: Abstract Weekly Report, 1,290 kg of dry ganja, 65 ganja plants, 4.29 kg of hashish oil, 1.142 litres of hashish oil, 636 grams weed oil, 70 ml weed oil, 11.759 cocaine, 1.002 grams MDMA, 211 MDMA pills, 35 LSD blots, 0.37 grams charas, 1.15 kg raw Alprazolam, 10 mg Nitravit, and 150 Alprax 0.5 mg tablets have been seized by the Excise department between 1 February and 7 April. A total of 192 cases have been bookers under NDPS Act and 304 people have been arrested.

Meanwhile, 391.5 litres of India-made liquor and 168.35 litres of beer were seized by the Excise and Prohibition department; 298 cases were registered; and 102 persons were arrested. Also, 509 litres of non-duty paid liquor (NDPL), 217 litres of RS, 444.85 litres of country liquor, and 23.65 litres of defense liquor were seized. Fifty-nine cases were registered, 78 people arrested, and 16 vehicles seized.

A total of 821 toddy offences were registered. 65 illegal toddy shops were traced, one vehicle was seized, and 80 people were arrested. There were 7 toddy adulteration cases. The police seized a total of 4462.8 of toddy. On the other hand, 1,756 gudumba offences were registered. A total of 8,680 litres of gudumba, 73,882 kgs of black jaggery, 550 kgs of alum, and 327 vehicles were seized. 1,820 people were arrested.