A Crime Records Bureau (CRB) for the Excise Department which was mooted in 2011 is finally becoming a reality and is expected to be commissioned in the next three weeks.

The CRB proposal was mooted as part of the department’s modernisation programme. A high-level scientific meeting chaired by Excise Commissioner Anil Xavier to give final touches to the CRB was held at the excise headquarters on Wednesday.

DATA COLLECTION

Brisk data collection for the CRB is at present underway and the measure is also part of the steps to make excise cases more strong. The CRB will be headed by a joint excise commissioner and the bureau will comprise a circle inspector and three inspectors.

The bureau will also be a platform to share information with the police and exchange information with the police CRB.

About 10 companies, a majority of them from the public sector, including Keltron, Sidco, C-DAC, C-DIT, and CMC Limited, have shown expression of interest in the constitution of the bureau. The CRB will be integrated with the e-governance project in the department.

Details of all excise related crimes will be uploaded within three hours.

The police can browse details from the data bank using a separate link.

MONITORING

As part of the modernisation programme, closed circuit TV cameras will be installed at five major and 37 minor check posts.

This will enable the top brass of the department to monitor situations at the check posts.

All enforcement officials of the department will be provided with reflector rain coats and signal lights for night time vehicle inspection.

Excise vehicles meant for field duty will sport red and white and blue beacons on their roofs.

All vehicles of the department which are more than 10 years old will be auctioned away and replaced with new vehicles.

Every excise office will be provided with motorcycle and for Alappuzha district boats will be provided to patrol areas where no road facility is available. A boat yard for the purpose is being created by the Kuttanad Development Authority.

Wherever government land is made available, the excise offices will function from its own buildings.

Excise Additional Commissioner N. Prashant has been entrusted with the task of implementing the e-governance programme for bringing all offices of the department under a single network.

Additional Excise Commissioner K. Radhakrishnan and Joint Excise Commissioner Thomas K. Abraham have been entrusted with the task of ensuring the quality of the gadgets to be purchased under the modernisation programme.