Kerala - Kollam   

Benami system in toddy shops to go

Soothing words: Minister for Excise P.K. Gurudasan consoling the family members of Sudhakaran, one of those killed in the Avaneeshwaram liquor tragedy, at their house at Vilakudi, near Kollam, on Sunday.

KOLLAM: Excise Minister P.K. Gurudasan has said that the State Government will initiate measures to ensure that the benami system of operating toddy shops is put to an end from next year.

He was talking to presspersons at Avaneeshwaram after visiting the houses of Georgekutty and Sudhakaran who were killed in the August 28 liquor tragedy.

Mr. Gurudasan said the Excise Department would be directed to make sure through proper screening that from next year onwards it was the licensee and not the benami who ran toddy shops. The benami system was one that promoted the sale of illicit liquor and spurious toddy through toddy shops.

In fact, a good number of toddy shops were under benami management. In the wake of the Avaneeshwaram liquor tragedy, the Government would strictly enforce the law for ensuring that only genuine toddy was sold from toddy shops. The Minister said he was fully aware that many toddy shops are not selling the genuine stuff. Such things get exposed only when a tragedy occurred. Since it had now come to his notice, everything possible would be done to see that only genuine toddy was sold from toddy shops. Mr. Gurudasan said that though the liquor policy of the Government was for reopening all the 1,610 toddy shops closed down by the previous Government, not a single shop from that list was opened in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta. This was because the Government was fully aware that toddy production in these districts would not meet the requirement of the shops slated to be reopened.

He said the source of spirit supply to the State was from the neighbouring States. As part of the move to counter illicit liquor operations, the Government was taking steps to adequately arm the Excise Department.

Check-posts at the entry points of the State would become more vigilant. But illicit liquor operations could be fully busted only through people’s cooperation. The people should come out openly against such criminal activities, he said.

Mr. Gurudasan said that whatever may be the political connections of those involved in the Avaneeshwaram liquor tragedy, all the culprits would be arrested and brought before the law. “The prime accused Keepally Ashokan may be having political connections, but that is not going to save him from the law of the land,” he said. He said that the tragedy at Avaneeshwaram was most unfortunate. The monetary compensation announced for the victims would be paid in three days. The dependents of the two of those killed in the tragedy would be paid Rs.1 lakh each. The family members of the 16 hospitalised would be paid Rs.5,000 each.

A sum of Rs.1,000 each had already been paid to the hospitalised, he said. CPI(M) district secretary K. Rajagopal also accompanied Mr. Gurudasan.

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