The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Methanol dosage makes all the difference

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Methanol dosage makes all the difference

Staff Reporter

Illicitly distilled liquor is considered safe

Even 1 per cent increase in methanol can prove deadly
Rotten jaggery and dry leaves are main ingredients in illicit liquor

BANGALORE: What combines to make the liquor spurious and deadly? The combination of spirit and methanol is said to be a lethal combination, which forms the spurious liquor.

The Excise Department officials say the spurious liquor brewed illegally combines spirit, caramel colour or the charred sugar, which is mixed with methanol. In fact, methanol is a product that is used in the production of fertiliser, and is normally obtained from a Mumbai-based fertiliser industry in the public sector, and is used in brewing spurious liquor to give that much needed kick.

The officials point out that even a 1 per cent more addition of this methanol in the concoction could prove deadly and can claim hundreds of people. The incident that occurred in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu could have been a case in this regard, the official point out. In different combinations, camphor, a peculiar type of tobacco and other chemicals are used. Tobacco is used in spurious liquor, especially in Bylnarasapura in Kolar district.

Illicit liquor

On the other hand, while brewing illicitly distilled liquor, the bootleggers normally mix rotten jaggery, ammonium chloride, coconut leaves, rotten fruits, especially banana and dry cells. The dry cells hasten the fermentation process. While this combination is boiled, the vapour is collected and appropriate quantity of water is mixed. According to Excise officials, illicitly distilled liquor is far safer than the spurious liquor.

In earlier incidents involving spurious liquor, over 300 lives in Bangalore and Mysore were lost in 1981. Although 182 deaths were recorded officially, it remains the biggest hooch tragedy . Scores of people in K.G. Halli, D.J. Halli, Bagalur Layout and Tannery Road died. In a couple of incidents in Nelamangala taluk, 54 persons died after they drank spurious liquor.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka