THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (IB) of the State Excise Department, which was formed to gather inputs on illegal spirit transportation and manufacture of spurious liquor, is facing acute staff shortage. The special wing formed on the lines of state special branch has been entrusted with the duty of data collection from grassroots level and assist the department in cracking cases. But functioning of the department is crippled as only six officers are posted in each districts to carry out the operations. Speaking to Express, N S Salim Kumar, Assistant Excise Commissioner, Enforcement Department in Idukki, admitted that staff shortage was plaguing the smooth functioning of the wing. Salim Kumar, who had been part of the bureau, maintained that with the limited resources available, miracles cannot be expected from the wing. “Works in each district is undertaken by five preventive officers and an Inspector. All of them work in civil dress and are engaged in collecting data clandestinely. But there is a clear shortage of manpower. If more recruitments are made, then the bureau can make big strides,” he said.Currently six officers operate in each district while an Assistant Commissioner operates at the zonal level to co-ordinate the work. The state-level supervision is being done by a Joint Commissioner. In total, the so called elite wing functions with less than 70 operatives in the state. This statistics is a pointer to the state of affairs persisting in the wing. The most shocking revelation is that minimum number of operatives are also functioning in Thrissur and Palakkad districts where the spirit mafia is active. Due to this manpower shortage, surveillance activities in Valayar check-post has come to a virtual halt. According to a top officer in the department, manpower shortage has slowed down the pace of investigation.“Sometimes all the five operatives have to work in unison to complete a mission. But that collaboration is least possible due to crunch in man power. As a result the action might falter. Still we strive hard for clues from the field and at times that yield results,” he said. The data collected from the ground are compiled into report. It is then handed over to Excise Commissioner who in turn will present it to the government. But the malady is that, owing to staff shortage, Intelligence and Investigation Bureau has got little options to cross-check the inputs that flow from the field.
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