Bengaluru, (DHNS): Excise revenue in the state fell by Rs 500 crore due to the Supreme Court’s ban on sale of liquor along highways, Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Wednesday.

As many as 789 liquor stores along national and state highways had to be relocated following the apex court’s ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of highways. This included about 200 stores in Bengaluru urban district, Timmapur said.

“Because of the relocation, our revenue went down by Rs 500 crore,” he told reporters.

Timmapur, who was inducted into the council of ministers earlier this month, said the Excise department had drawn up an action plan to tackle the sale and abuse of narcotics, especially concerning college students. A special team headed by Excise Superintendent Ravishankar Kumar has been formed to track down drugs, he said. “Thirty officials will be trained by the Narcotics Control Bureau on controlling drug menace in colleges,” he said, after a meeting with top officials on tackling the narcotics problem.

“Already, five officials have undergone special training. So far, five cases have been booked on sale of narcotics and 504 kg of ganja has been seized.”

The government, he said, intended to provide good-quality liquor to tackle fake narcotic substances. Each household is allowed to store up to 2.3 litres of liquor, he pointed out. Timmapur also threatened action against hookah bars selling ganja.