Tourist season begins in Himachal, liquor vends overcharge customers

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, May 8

With the tourism season beginning in the state, liquor contractors have started overcharging customers. Many people in Kangra have lodged complaints with the Excise Department that liquor contractors are overcharging them.

RM Sharma, a resident of Dharamsala, said that he went to a liquor vend to buy a beer. “The minimum retail price on the beer can was Rs 185 but the salesman charged me Rs 295 for it. I have lodged a complaint with the Excise Department,” he added.

Gurdeep Singh, a tourist, alleged that liquor vends in Kangra were charging about 50 per cent to 70 per cent more than the minimum selling prices mentioned on the bottles. To add to it, the liquor vend owners are also not giving any receipts to the customers. It is mandatory for the liquor vend owners to issue a receipt for the price charged for liquor from customers, he alleged.

Commissioner, State Taxes and Excise, Yunus, said that he had received complaints of overcharging by liquor contractors from across the state. As per the liquor policy of the state government, the liquor contractors could charge 30 per cent above the minimum selling price mentioned on Indian-made beer bottles or cans. On single malt, whiskeys, rum, vodka, foreign beers and wines, they can charge 10 per cent about the minimum sale price mentioned. However, the liquor contractors had been directed to display the price policy of the state at their shops so that customers were not duped, he added.

20 challans issued

Those who do not display the liquor policy for rates outside their vends will be made to pay heavy fines. Following complaints from customers, 20 challans have been filed against liquor contractors who were found overcharging people. — Yunus, commissioner, taxes and excise

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