Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli   

A booming `boozing culture'

By P. Sudhakar

TIRUNELVELI, JULY 26. For most of the people of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts, particularly the lower strata, boozing seems to be an inevitable part of their life, as the total amount they spent on liquor in just 30 days i.e. in June was Rs.27.76 crores.

According to statistics provided by the Senior Regional Manager, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, Madurai Region, C.N. Maheshwaran, `customers' in Tuticorin district purchased IMFL varieties to the tune of Rs.10,18,20,476 in June from the TASMAC IMFL outlets, while the amount stood at Rs.6,93,42,129 in the corresponding period last year - an increase of Rs. 3,24,78,347.

In Tirunelveli district, where farming operations yielded somewhat desirable results in the previous two seasons, liquor sale in the IMFL outlets across the district stood at Rs.17,58,43,650 in June against a sale of Rs.10,60,53,566 in June 2003 - an increase of Rs. 6,97,89,084.

"June is a month of marriage, examination results for higher secondary classes and colleges and finally Courtallam season, which collectively boosted our trade to greater heights," said a beaming TASMAC official.

While the sellers of liquor feel happy about their increasing revenue, the people against alcohol are the most worried, who express a concern over the swelling sale of liquor in the two districts.

"Besides spending such a huge amount of money to purchase alcohol, the consumers might have spent at least an equivalent amount for buying side dishes and finally, dining. Hence I won't buy the argument that our people are economically weaker.

The rapidly spreading `boozing culture' among students that they should at least consume a bottle of beer is an irritating sign," says M. Selvarajan, Chairman of Alcoholics Anonymous Inter-Group Public Information Cell.

The Alcoholics Anonymous, which was started here four years ago with just four members, has been forced to conduct meetings at five places a week, as the strength has now gone up to 40 families.

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