Kerala - Palakkad   

`Produce soft drink from toddy'

Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD: KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala has urged the State Government to allow the production of soft drink from toddy as it is done in countries like Sri Lanka.

Inaugurating the State conference of the National Toddy Tapping Industrial Workers Federation, affiliated to the INTUC at the Town Hall here on Thursday, he urged the Government to appoint a panel to study the problems faced by the toddy industry.

He said that successive Governments had failed to implement the A.P. Udayabhanu Commission report that recommended prohibition. The Committee had recommended the popularisation of natural toddy as a soft drink. It will also help the coconut farmers in the State, he said.

He said that the abolition of 1,972 toddy shops during 2001 by the then UDF Government had created a crisis in this industry. In its place more IMFL shops and bars were sanctioned. But now a situation has come where the State does not need any more bars and IMFL shops.

The meeting was presided over by State president of the Federation, N. Azhakeshan.

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