GANDHINAGAR, May 19: The fate of the Excise and Prohibition Commissionerate, the formation of which was announced recently amid much fanfare, hangs fire indefinitely. Despite Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela's claims that the department would launch a statewide crackdown on May 1, the commissionerate is yet to take shape.The Government resolution which passed the order for creation of the commissionerate on April 30, had directed the transfer of 2,000 policemen to the department. However, these transfers have not been effected so far. Similarly, the list of Border Wing Home Guards to be selected for the commissionerate is yet to be finalised. The appointments to the three posts of deputy police commissioners, two meant for IPS officers and one for an IAS officer, have not been made either.The inordinate delay has been blamed on the fact that senior IPS officer Kuldip Sharma, who was appointed as the special commissioner and entrusted with the task of selecting personnel for the department, has proceeded on leave till June 11. Sharma was to have scrutinised service records and selected ``upright and diligent'' policemen to man the 69 proposed prohibition stations in the state.The newly-formed department's commissioner, Swatantra Shekhon, has reportedly refused to undertake Sharma's job of choosing the right men for enforcing prohibition.Sources said that after Shekhon's refusal, Inspector General (Gandhinagar range) G C Raigar was given additional charge of special commissioner of the department. However, he is also scheduled to proceed on leave.Meanwhile, officials in the commissionerate are unable to carry out their duties efficiently, hampered by the lack of manpower or resources. Though the department had demanded over 5,000 personnel, they were told to manage with a force of 2,000 only. They were only allocated two dozen vehicles, despite their demand for 200.Moreover, the 24 odd vehicles allotted to them are with the office of the Director General of Police at present. Despite the Government resolution, they are yet to be handed over to the commissionerate.Earlier, speaking to The Indian Express, Hargovind Upadhyaya, the minister in charge of prohibition, had said the Government would issue notifications for appointment to the three posts of Superintendent of Police in the commissionerate. The SPs were to be posted at Rajkot, Surat and Ahmedabad. However, no notification has been issued so far.Though the Government has transferred the duties of implementing prohibition to the commissionerate, the Bombay Prohibition Act, which is in force in the State, has not been amended to give the necessary power to the department.Police forces are reportedly taking advantage of the ensuing confusion. According to sources, they are zealously raiding liquor dens, without bothering to register cases, as that has been defined as part of the commissionerate's duties.
