The Hindu : Kerala News : Take strict action

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Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Take strict action

The number of seizures of illicit liquor being smuggled into the State has increased considerably. The spirit seized is said to be merely a fraction of the quantity which is actually flowing into the State. A handful of men are risking their lives to enforce the arrack ban. It has triggered yet another round of discussion on whether the ban should continue or not. How do you react to the situation? Our readers respond:

MAJOR HAUL: Spirit seized by Excise officials in Thiruvananthapuram recently.

Illicit liquor should be banned. But some of the police and Excise officials act in connivance with the smugglers. Though the Government deploys squads to raid vehicles at check-posts, the information is often leaked to smugglers. Strict action should be taken against the informers and the authorities should bring the smugglers to book.

S.N. Thiruvazhiode
Poonithura

Review the ban

The Cabinet headed by the former Chief Minister A. K. Antony took the decision to ban arrack in Kerala. However, low quality brands of Indian Made Foreign Liquors are available in the market. Illicit liquor is also brought in from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to Kerala. The spirit is further diluted and mixed with colours, bottled and sold through bars in the State. The Government should review the ban on arrack and revise the policy if possible to re-introduce the supply of arrack in the State.

K.S. Pradeepkumar
Aroor

Organise campaigns

The per capita consumption of alcohol is the highest in Kerala. Even the poor spend a chunk of their earning on liquor. The rich buy expensive brands while the poor can afford cheap stuff such as arrack. With the ban on arrack enforced several years ago, alternative sources came into being. Illicit liquor came to be available in the market and was smuggled in from neighbouring States and even in Goa where `fenny' is relatively cheap.

The volume of illicit liquor smuggled into the State is so large that the enforcement team is unable to check it.

No political party will agree to the ban as it is a lucrative source of revenue. A uniform policy of prohibition can be introduced across the country to tackle the problem. Another step to curb alcoholism is conducting campaigns and awareness programmes.

The number of youth giving up smoking is increasing owing to the concerted efforts of the Governments as well as doctors. A similar approach can help check alcohol consumption.

O.B. Nair
Poonithura

Vicious circle

There exists a nexus between the spirit mafia and political parties in the State. No matter which party rules, there is a group that calls the shot when it comes to liquor and toddy. There are many cases in which police officers have been attacked. The number of those who risked their lives is not small either.

There are many police officials who have clandestine understanding with the mafia. Spirit is smuggled into Kerala regularly. Of the hundreds of spirit tankers that cross our borders, only a few are seized at the check-posts. The evidence disappears overnight. Annual shop auction, State's dependence on the revenue from liquor and the resultant patronage and promotion the latter gets makes this a vicious circle.

A.P. Jayaprakash
Athirampuzha

Reduce Excise duty

The flow of illicit spirit to Kerala from neighbouring States now breaks all previous records. As Onam is fast approaching, the spirit mafias, especially in central Kerala, are vying with each other for monopoly in the illicit liquor trade. Frequent incidence of encounter and assault on Excise officials during raids is common these days. The spirit mafias continue their business thanks to the political influence and support of erring officials. Only a few sincere Excise officers take risk to bring the culprits to book. However, political interference thwarts their efforts to check spirit smuggling. Sometimes, the officials are attacked by the mafia. Besides, in the prevailing situation they are not equipped to confront the mafias. The Government is expected to initiate action against the spirit mafia. The Excise inspection squads should consist of sincere officers. They should be given sophisticated weapons to thwart attacks by the mafia. Flow of illicit spirit into the State causes great revenue loss. The Government should evaluate the need for reducing the Excise duty on foreign liquor and reintroduce arrack through Beverage Corporation outlets. However, the Government should enforce strict discipline in procurement and distribution of spirit.

R.P. Pillai
Moncombu

Source of revenue

Kerala leads the country in liquor consumption. There is no prohibition in place. The Government obtains large revenue by selling liquor. The Government should invite liquor barons to set up shop here and distribute the spirit to them so that they can produce quality liquor.

Devraj Sambasivan
Alappuzha

Conduct raids

The Governments of our neighbouring States have come up with some conditions and laws for transport of goods from one State to another. Entry tax, sales tax etc. are part of these. Some people smuggle goods and evade the authorities by bribing them. The Government should conduct regular raids and step up vigil at the check-posts. Strict action should be taken to stop the smuggling of spirit and initiate action against those found guilty of indulging in malpractices.

P. Sankaranarayanan
Poonithura

Appoint panel

The decision to ban arrack was foolish if we consider the number of hooch tragedies and the large-scale spirit smuggling in the State. The ban never had an impact on drunkards. The Government imposed the ban without doing the requisite homework and ignoring the reports of the expert committee in the matter. The ban on arrack was a failure. Yet the Government is hesitant in lifting the ban for fear of anti-liquor movement headed by the Christian clergy. The Government should appoint an expert committee to study the effect of the ban on arrack and suggest remedial measures. The Government should begin distribution of arrack through its distilleries.

V.P. Ramesan
Thripunithura

Initiate legal action

The State authorities should take legal action against the accused. Poverty and unemployment prompt people to enter the arrack business. Awareness campaigns can help save the lives of people who consume illicit liquor. Steps should be initiated to check bribery and corruption at the check-posts to prevent smuggling of illicit spirit and liquor into the State.

Krishna K
Kochi

Relax tax

The ban on illicit liquor is a farce. In many countries, liquor is sold at shops and the price is very cheap. The State Government should relax the taxation on liquor. Now what we find is a State that has a high rate of liquor consumption. The Government needs to review its policy. The seizure of illegal liquor coming into the State is a mere eyewash.

Jerry Thomas
Kochi

Modern gadgets

Festival season such as Onam registers a sharp rise in the sale of liquor through official outlets. A matching quantity or much more of illicit liquor, which is much cheaper, finds its way into the hands of the consumers.

The chemicals added to it are lethal and if the proportion alters, hooch tragedies occur.

There exists a nexus between the liquor mafia and the corrupt personnel of the Excise/Police departments. The phenomenal rise in the consumption of liquor, especially by the youth, is a cause for concern. The ban on arrack introduced by the A. K. Antony Government has come a cropper, as cheaper illicit liquor is freely available across the State.

Drinking needs to be curbed rather than banned. A responsible Government should desist from promoting liquor trade. The Excise Department should initiate action against corrupt officials. It should be equipped with modern gadgets and weapons.

N.K. Vijayan
Kizhakkambalam

Continue the ban

Illicit liquor is being smuggled into the State. We should take effective steps to continue the ban. Periodical lifting and imposing of the ban will do much harm.

A. Jacob Sahayam
Thiruvananthapuram

Initiate steps

There are many hurdles in banning liquor because it will affect the growth of tourism. If the Government wants to ensure spurious arrack from other States does not flow into Kerala, it should step up vigil at the check-posts.

P.M.G. Pillai
Thiruvalla

Special squads

Smuggling of illicit liquor to the State should be stopped. Police force should be deployed in strength, especially at the check-posts to enforce the ban on arrack. Police officials should be armed and well-equipped to counter any act of violence.

Special squad should be deployed. Care must be taken to prevent bribery, especially at the check-posts. If illicit liquor is seized, the case should be followed up through interrogation. Stringent punishment should be imposed on the culprits.

K. Manu
Thiruvananthapuram

Joint effort needed

The large-scale flow of illicit liquor into Kerala is due to the inefficiency of the Excise and Police departments. Vehicles carrying illicit liquor can be seized at the check-posts if the team of officials are vigilant. But the spirit lobbies bribe some officials. Majority of the seizures are done without proper planning. Even if illicit liquor is seized, only drivers or cleaners of the vehicle are caught and not the mafia. The State Government should discuss the matter with the Governments of other States to enforce the laws in this regard.

R. Akhil Ratheesh
Thriuvananthapuram

Provide manpower

Illicit liquor is being smuggled into the State from the neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The check-posts at Valayar, Parassala, Amaravila are the main gateway for smuggling spirit. However, only a fraction of the spirit is seized by the Excise Department. The rest is used for making illicit liquor. The spirit mafias equip their allies who smuggle liquor into the State with sophisticated communication system, which cannot be tracked down easily. They also possess weapons. The Excise Department in the State is ill-equipped to combat the situation. The Excise Department should be provided with adequate manpower and technological support. The Excise officials should not succumb to bribery.

Shreya A.S
Thiruvananthapuram

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