Polyester labels to replace paper holograms on liquor bottles

The state government on Monday informed the Karnataka High Court that it has planned to replace the paper-based hologram-embedded excise adhesive labels (EAL) on liquor bottles with polyester-based excise adhesive labels to prevent the loss to the exchequer.

The government also said that 15 states across the country have already implemented this measure.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Ramprasad, a social worker and Rajesh Babu, Secretary of Swaccha, a city-based non-governmental organisation for waste management. The petitioners have challenged the use of these labels saying that they were non-biodegradable and non-recoverable.

The state government said that every month
Rs 35 crore worth of paper-based hologram embedded excise adhesive label are wasted by consumers.

It was also submitted that the same matter was being heard before the National Green Tribunal. The matter was adjourned.