Saleem Javed
Port Blair, Dec 18: If anyone wishes to learn how to earn easy money by illegal liquor trade in a legal manner then he or she must get on the 6.00 AM bus of State Transport Service, which starts from Rangat for Mayabunder and returns back to Rangat at 3.45 pm.
This bus is mostly full of people, who get a monthly pass of Rs. 400 from STS department. These people go to Mayabunder for a very specific mission to everyday, which is to buy two liquor bottles from ANIIDCO wine shop of Mayabunder. As two liquor bottles are allowed for one person to carry, legally they can’t be touched by the police and hence they can come back to Rangat with two bottles of liquor and then they are free to sell these bottles to any petty shop, involved in bootlegging in entire Middle Andaman region, at double rate.
If a bottle costs Rs. 250 at ANIIDCO then these bottles are sold to bootleggers at Rs. 500, hence there is a 100 percent profit each day. Every person involved in this business, are earning Rs. 500 daily, which makes nearly Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 15,000 a month with an investment of Rs. 400 only for STS Bus Pass.
The police department is doing regular checking of this bus but sadly they can’t charge anyone in this case as carrying two bottles is allowed by law of this land.
But worst sufferers are the daily office goers, patients and private workers who also travel in this 6.00 AM Bus, as they don’t get seats most of the time because the seats are booked by the liquor sellers on daily basis. The Distance between Rangat and Mayabunder is nearly 60 KM and hence due to this unwanted rush, the genuine travelers, including patients, are bound to travel by standing all the way to Mayabunder, which is very painful.
Many passengers told Andaman Sheekha that carrying two liquor bottles might be legal but carrying inflammable substances in public transport is illegal, then why on this ground transportation of liquor is not prohibited in STS bus.
“In case of a minor fire in this bus, hundreds of liquor bottles present in this bus might lead to a major disaster anytime,” said a resident of Rangat.
Public of Middle Andaman are demanding some kind of solution for this problem as this matter is not only troubling genuine passengers but also promoting bootlegging in Middle Andaman region.
