The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Call to revamp toddy shops

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 07, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Call to revamp toddy shops

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, NOV. 6. Speakers at a seminar on the liquor policy of the State called for an awareness campaign on liquor.

The Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, who inaugurated the seminar, suggested opening of model toddy shops in all the districts.

The ban on arrack has adversely affected the fortunes of the toddy industry. Toddy is often mixed with arrack. Sale of illicit liquor also flourishes in many places. In order to boost the industry, people should take to drinking toddy again. To facilitate this, pure toddy should be made available at clean outlets, he said.

Tapioca and fish served at toddy shops is available in several five-star hotels. This indicates an avenue for toddy shops to boost business, he said. The Government gets only limited revenue from the toddy industry. The welfare of the workers is of uppermost concern, he said.

Mr. Divakaran disagreed with prohibition activists that the low price of toddy is the key to the rise in its consumption.

The former Excise Minister, K.V. Thomas, also agreed that toddy is a good, natural drink. The Udayabhanu Commission report on liquor policy could be followed in many respects, he said.

Diversification

Diversification is necessary to improve the prospects of the industry, he added.

Member of Parliament Sebastian Paul said that prohibition is not practical. This has been established by studies conducted in many parts of the world. Mr. Paul suggested opening of toddy parlours to provide pure toddy.

The Excise Commissioner, T. Balakrishnan, recalling the United States experiment, said that prohibition had led to rise in higher crime rate and use of narcotics there. Citing figures, he said that of the revenue received by the State by way of Excise duty and Sales Tax, only Rs. 17 crores came from the toddy industry.

The CITU leader P.K. Gurudasan highlighted the need to protect conventional industries irrespective of the revenue concerns. The liquor policy should be framed after due consultation with the workers, he said.

Earlier, introducing the theme of the seminar, K.M. Sudhakaran, Director of Kerala Toddy Workers Welfare Fund Board, said that toddy tapping would give better returns to coconut farmers. N. Azhakesan, Chairman of the Board, welcomed the gathering.

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