• Several test runs conducted on the sticker printing process with a digital inking of a barcode and a QR code on the cap and the neck of each bottle

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

The proposed security sticker to be pasted on locally manufactured liquor bottles, which had even raised concerns in the Parliament, will be delayed slightly owing to technical issues, the Excise Chief said.   

Commissioner General of Excise M J Gunasiri told the Daily Mirror yesterday that the implementation of the new security features on locally produced liquor bottles to prevent adulterated liquor from entering the market, could take a little more time than the first of July, as initially planned. 

 
He said the Department of Excise had scheduled to commence this from June 01st but it could not be implemented, as a series of technical work had to be performed like test runs before approving the pilot project, owing to the travel restrictions and other Covid-19 guidelines imposed by the government. 

 
There has to be several test runs conducted on the sticker printing process with a digital inking of a barcode and a QR code on the cap and the neck of each bottle, which is produced locally by the licensed companies, he explained.   

“We did the first test run with a leading liquor producing company on June 19th and three more test runs are pending with two leading beer companies and other hard liquor manufacturing companies, which are scheduled to be held in the coming weeks,” Gunasiri said.   

Since, this technical process is getting slightly delayed the implementation of the pilot project will also be delayed, was his opinion.   

Responding to the nature of the Indian company to deal with the imprinting of the sticker, as concerns were raised in Parliament recently by Opposition MP Buddhika Pathirana that the company was blacklisted in many countries, the Excise Chief said a decision has to be taken by the Ministry of Finance regarding the issue. He further said the company Madras Security Printers (MSP) had reportedly sent a letter denying all charges made against them to the Ministry of Finance last week.     

• The first test run with a leading liquor producing company on June 19th and three more test runs are pending with two leading beer companies and other hard liquor manufacturing companies
• The Department of Excise had scheduled to commence this from June 01st but it could not be implemented