Excise fines top Rs. 236m

Rasika Somarathna

The Excise Department has netted a staggering Rs. 236.2 million as fines in the first 10 months of 2007 by taking a stringent approach towards the strict implementation of legislative provisions regarding the abuse of excise rules and regulations in line with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Mathata Thitha programme.

According to Excise sources, the 46,191 raids this year showed a growth margin of 10.5 per cent in comparison to the previous year with Western Province topping the list of offenders.

The Excise Department this year collected Rs.173 million as court fines and Rs.63.3 million through fines imposed by the

 Commissioner General of Excise. In 2005, the Excise Department conducted 45,933 raids, netting around Rs.100 million as court fines and in 2006 it rose to 52,590 raids and Rs. 170 million in fines.

In the first 10 months of 2007, the figure had gone up to Rs.173 million, enriching Government coffers by a substantial margin and deterring would be offenders.

According to the newly appointed Commissioner General of Excise D.G.M.V.Hapuarachchi, the heavy fines introduced through the increase of fines Act No. 12 of 2005 and the introduction of National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act.No.27 of 2006 appear to have acted as a deterrent.

The Commissioner General paid a special tribute to the Public as the success this year had largely depended on the information received from them. The Commissioner appealed for continued public support to eradicate the menace.

The Mathata Thitha programme has also brought about a big change in the thinking of all sectors with regards to the fight against the menace of drugs\alcohol.

The prime objective of the Mathata Thitha programme is to setout parameters pertaining to smoking and consumption of alcohol in public places and to prevent younger generation from falling victims to drug\alcohol abuse.