Char Dham Yatra: Excise dept launches drive against illegal liquor

In view of the Char Dham Yatra, the district excise officials on Wednesday launched an intensive checking drive against raw and illegal liquor in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district, said the police.

According to the officials, a large quantity of illegal liquor has been seized during the search in Dinarpur and Sahdevpur under the Pathri police station area in Haridwar.

"A large number of devotees come to Haridwar during the Char Dham Yatra as Haridwar's Dharmanagari is considered to be the first stop of the journey. In view of this, the excise officials have launched a search drive against illegal liquor in the district", Prabha Shankar Mishra, District Excise Officer, Haridwar said.

The official said that a large quantity of 'lahan' used to make raw liquor has been destroyed during the drive in Dinarpur and Sahdevpur of the Pathri area.

"Effective action is being taken against those keeping illegal liquor in possession. The drive has been initiated keeping the Yatra season in mind, so that there should be no illegal liquor supply anywhere and for this illegal furnaces are being completely destroyed on the spot. And this action will continue during the festive season", officer Mishra said.

Earlier on April 25 the day the doors of Kedarnath Dham opened, the Uttarakhand government stopped accepting registration applications from pilgrims for the Kedarnath Dham Yatra in view of heavy snowfall on the pilgrimage route and a warning of inclement weather by the Met Department.

The Kedarnath temple is one of the most revered temples in the country dedicated to Lord Shiva and people from across the country visit the temple during the six months when the temple is open.

The Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimages in India. This pilgrimage is a tour of four holy sites - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri - nestled high up in the Himalayas.