Hyderabad: Bootleggers get new livelihood

Hyderabad: Members of families involved in bootlegging and making illicit gudamba have now turned into Uber car drivers and small time manufacturers of paper plates. Telangana excise department on Monday distributed the keys to Uber cabs, appointment letters and machines to make paper plates to the families of bootleggers in Dhoolpet as part of rehabilitation measures.

Mr N Anji Reddy, excise official of Dhoolpet said, “Residents of Dhoolpet were into making and selling gudamba for the past 200 years. We have cracked down on this illicit liquor. As they demanded livelihood the department brought in a scheme to rehabilitate them so that they don’t go back to bootlegging. Many of them are facing excise cases and trial will go on as usual.

Out of 44 family members, we have given 26 machines for making paper plates and four, cars tied up with Uber. Usually anyone can pay Rs 40,000 and make their taxi a Uber cab. In this case, the government paid Rs 40,000 for each and got it tied up with Uber. The company, as part of social cause, went soft on their regular integrity check. All the four drivers are 10th class pass and have licence and badge. There are no cases against them. Their family members are facing cases.” He added that the machines were given with 100 per cent subsidy. The beneficiaries were also given the raw material.