The memory of the cold-blooded murder of the Gurgaon Toll Plaza attendant by inebriated youth last month is still fresh in people's minds. Haryana should not overlook the fact that while alcohol earns money for the state it's also a trigger for crime.
THE BOOZE season is back in town. Just months after the liquor stores and pub owners were reporting consistent losses, things are back on track. Alcohol sales have rebounded with a rise of 25% in sales over the last month. Pub owners say that private bookings for parties and corporate events are flooding in. Liquor sales had taken a severe hit following the bouncer’s controversy.
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Linked to the booze season are numerous stories that unfortunately bring only shame to the country. One can’t forget the story of the Faridabad girl who worked in a Gurgaon Mall. A drunk youth stuffed her into their car near Ghittorni Metro station after taking away cell phones and keys from the cab driver so that he couldn't call police. Luckily. he had a spare cell phone that he used to call up police, and it was only then that the girl was saved after a brave chase by the police. The killing of a Gurgaon toll attendant, who had asked for the original registration certificate from the accused, to let him pass the toll, shocked only only Gurgaon residnets but also the whole nation. The drunk man had lost his senses by the time he shot the attendant dead with a pistol.
Almost routinely, we get to hear about rash driving accidents that kill and maim people. Earlier this year a young girl was booked for rash and drunk driving after she rammed her car into another car, two motorcycles and a rickshaw.
Against this backdrop, police need to be more careful and nab drunk drivers before they hit other vehicles. The main responsibility, though lies with the residents, who should follow a policy of ‘no drunk driving’. They have every right to enjoy a drink after a tiring day’s work but not at the cost of others' lives. Special police units need to be deployed at various crossroads to check and nab drunk drivers. Liquor store owners also need to be responsible while selling alcohol to drivers. They should immediately call the police if they find anyone drinking while driving.
The fact that the Haryana's state excise department has reported a rise of 29% in revenue collection compared to the last fiscal, is good news but at the same time we need to make sure that we follow a proper drinking policy.
