Aizawl, Jun 7 (PTI): A stringent multi-tier verification process is required to secure ‘Red Card’, a special permit system to possess and consume liquor on medical grounds in dry Mizoram, an official said on Sunday.
Mizoram’s Excise and Narcotics department had last week announced the rollout of the ‘Red Card’ permit and invited applications from people whose health conditions require consumption of liquor.
The department has so far not received applications seeking such permission, the official said.
To qualify for the permit, an applicant must submit a doctor’s prescription certifying the need for alcohol consumption as part of medical treatment, he said.
Such a prescription will be thoroughly scrutinised by the district medical superintendent concerned before granting final clearance, he said.
The ‘Red Card’ permit will be issued only to those who clear this verification process, the official said.
The excise department emphasised that the scheme is intended for genuine medical cases and not as a means to bypass Mizoram’s liquor regulations.
Under the proposed system, a ‘Red Card’ permit will be valid for one year and will cost Rs 5,000 annually.
Cardholders will be permitted to purchase liquor only in quantities prescribed by their doctors, the official said.
The ‘Red Card’ provision forms part of the state’s regulated approach to liquor control, allowing limited access to alcohol for individuals whose medical conditions may warrant its use, he said.
The excise department has opened a store in its Aizawl office, where liquor that has been seized by enforcement agencies and subsequently cleared for disposal by the courts will be sold to cardholders at Rs 75 per cent lower than the prevailing market price.
