The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Toddy movement to intensify stir

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Tuesday, Sep 01, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Toddy movement to intensify stir

Staff Reporter

‘Permit toddy tapping at the earliest’

Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement has announced that it would intensify the stir demanding permission for toddy tapping.

President of the Movement C. Nallasamy said that at a recent meeting, a resolution was passed to this effect. One of the resolutions pointed out that prohibition was imposed in Tamil Nadu in 1937. In 1987, toddy was banned but sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) flourished. The decision was not taken based on the recommendations of any committee.

The State Government has constituted a committee headed by a former judge K.P. Sivasubramanian to look into its demands.

Considering the impending drought and increase in prices of essential commodities, the ideal option would be to grant permission to tap toddy, he said.

Another resolution said that all cases against farmers, farm owners and farm labourers including tree climbers during the toddy tapping agitation should be withdrawn forthwith.

Rights for liquor manufacturing should be given to farmers. Mr. Nallasamy demanded the Union Government to bring out a White Paper on potash trade.

He said toddy should be removed from the liquor list and included in the food and beverages list.

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