The district administration has requisitioned central forces for a crackdown on the illicit liquor trade in the urban and rural areas.

The step comes in the light of the state government's recent decision to ban the sale of country liquor in the state from April 1 next year.

The district has become notorious for manufacturing units of moonshine - illicit liquor - and its sale in the rural parts. The excise department has handed over to the office of the Muzaffarpur district magistrate (DM) details of 43 sites where illicit liquor is either made or being sold clandestinely. Accordingly, DM Dharmendra Kumar decided to get the central forces deployed in the district.

There are two group centres of the Central Reserve Police Force at Jhapha on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur town and the Sashashtra Seema Bal at Ahiyapur, apart from permanent deployment of contingents of Central Industrial Security Force and Border Security Force in the district.

The DM said he had also involved the Government Railway Police apart from the district police to launch a drive against those running moonshine manufacturing units and selling the hooch.

He reprimanded the excise and district police for allegedly hobnobbing with moonshine manufacturers.

"Cops and officials once found conniving with manufacturers of such liquor would be dealt with sternly," the DM warned.

There would be a permanent cabin on the national highway and state highways on Muzaffarpur's borders with other districts to keep a strict watch on the transportation of liquor from outside the state.

Moreover, Anganwadi activists and 2,500 women attached with self-help group Jivika in the district are being sensitised to flag to the excise authorities in their areas the illegal sale and transportation of illicit liquor in any form. Commandants and assistant commandants of the central forces have been instructed to launch an intensive drive within a 5-7km periphery of their areas of jurisdiction against illicit liquor manufacturers.

The details of suspected sites of such units have been handed over to them for necessary action, the DM said.

Vikram Kumar, a resident of Balughat, appreciated the administration's initiative. He said: "We expect better law and order if central forces are involved in checking the rise of liquor dens in the district. These are the breeding ground for criminals."