Prohibition and Excise Minister T Padma Rao informed the Telangana State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the State Government was contemplating reopening toddy sale depots in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Replying to a question raised by Congress MLAs M Sudheer Reddy and D K Aruna during the Question Hour on Thursday, the minister denied information that several toddy shops were being run illegally and selling illicit and adulterated toddy in the State, causing the loss of lives of several people.
"As per Rules 16 & 27 of the A P Toddy Rules, 2007, the licensee shall sell unadulterated toddy. In order to check adulteration in toddy, all the field officers are provided with kits for detecting Chloral Hydrate / Diazepam through spot tests. The Chemical Examiner of the Regional Excise Laboratory has been provided with equipment to detect Alprozolam in the toddy," the minister said.
Further, he said inspections would be conducted at regular intervals, and cases of adulteration would be detected and licenses would be suspended/cancelled as per Section 31 of the A P Excise Act. (INN)