Imphal, 16 July 2016 : Commissioner of State Excise Department, Dr. Shailesh Kumar Chourasia today stated that there is no proposal of legalising country liquor produced in Andro, Sekmai and Phayeng. Speaking to media at the press conference  organised by DIPR at its complex to sensitise the works taken up various department of the govt, Dr Chourasia also said shortage of staff makes it impossible for the dept to effectively curb the menace of drugs and alcohol. He maintained that excise department is an ageing department, facing a slow death. There  are 704 sanctioned posts in Excise Department but there are only 409 post existing while 295 are lying vacant. He said every month 20 to 30 personnel retire from service and there has been no fresh recruitment. The department has 39 Excise Stations and doing its best to prevent smuggling of foreign liquor into the State and has collected Rs 10 crore as fines from illegal sale of liquor in 2015-16.  Dr Shailesh Kumar Chourasia added that collective effort of Home Department, Civil Society Organisations and Excise Department is needed for effectively implementation of the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991.