Kalpetta: The excise department has launched special enforcement measures to check the flow of spurious liquor during the electioneering in the district bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
It opened a 24-hour control room at Meenangadi excise division (04936-248850) to pass information, a press release said.
Strict vehicle checking will be held at Bavali, Muthanga and Tholpetty check-posts.
A preventive officer and two civil excise officers will be on duty at the Tholpetty and Bavali. Respective excise inspectors will conduct road-patrolling and flash checks.
Vehicles moving under suspicious conditions will be taken into custody to check liquor smuggling across the border.
All the secret spaces of the vehicles will be checked and regular criminals linked with Abkari cases would be under surveillance.
The department also decided to conduct surprise checks in toddy and IMFL outlets.
To avoid influencing the special team, its members would change frequently.
The stock of IMFL shops would be verified, and suspected samples sent for lab tests.
To check the sale of adulterated toddy, the samples of shops would be collected and sent for frequent tests.
Meanwhile, the special squads removed flex boards, posters and flags put on public places at various spots in the district as it violated election code of conduct.
They were removed from public buildings and spots in Kalpetta, Sulthan Bathery, Beenachi, Puliyarmala, Mananthavady, Panamaram, Pallikkunnu, Kambalakkad, Kolagappara and Munderi.
Additional district magistrate K. Ajeesh who is also the election code of conduct nodal officer headed the team.
