The menace of hooch

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The menace of hooch

Hooch as the country liquor is better known is a killer and in spite of incidents reported from different parts of the country, the authorities appear to have no clue on how to check the menace. The latest hooch tragedy in Kolkata killed 27 people.

CJ: prabir ghose

Tue, Jan 06, 2009 19:38:23 IST

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India News Today :

THE NUMBER of dead in the latest hooch tragedy in the East Port area of Kolkata is 27. Hooch as the country liquor is better known is a killer and in spite of incidents reported from different parts of the country, the authorities appear to have no clue on how to check the menace. The dead were daily wage earners and had families to support. They hailed from villages of Bihar and UP and were the only earning members of their families. They drank to forget their existence and get energized for the new day ahead. It as a regular practice and they succumbed to the greedy ones who do a roaring business in spurious liquor. One remembers the Amitabh Bachhan starrer in which an old man befriends Big B and vows to root out the evil that took away his family.

On Christmas Eve 2004, the hooch toll in Mumbai reached 98. The state government had planned to put methanol, which was widely used in adulterating liquor, on the list of dangerous chemicals.

On May 24, 2008, a similar tragedy claimed 54 lives in Hosur. In a statement, Dr. Ramadoss said the tragedy had proved wrong the government’s argument that it was running IMFL shops to eliminate illicit arrack and to avoid hooch tragedy in the State. There was no difference between the two as illicit brew killed instantly, while IMFL was a slow poison. Both should be banned.

A few other cases of deaths due to consuming spurious hooch are as follows:

1981: In the ghastliest hooch tragedy in Bangalore, 323 persons died. Hundreds of others were hospitalised. In Mysore too, 36 persons died after consuming spurious liquor.

2005: Thirty-five persons died in one of the worst tragedies at Nelamangala. The victims had consumed spurious arrack containing high quantity of methanol, which is highly toxic. Most victims were laborers.

2005: Spurious arrack claimed the lives of 25 persons at Hassan and 12 others at Sakaleshpura. The government failed to nail the guilty.

2006: Consumption of poisonous arrack resulted in the death of 20 persons at Srirampura in Bangalore. Most of the victims were laborers.

Drinks whether the IMFL or the hooch varieties are dangerous – the rich and the famous are notorious for their late night motor car races that mow down innocents pavement dwellers. On New Year’s Eve nights, the police take extra special care to prevent accidents perpetrated by people under the influence of liquor.

Side by side we hear of spurious drinks that cause instant deaths. Invariably, there are a few arrests and transfer of police personnel; enquiry commissions are set up and the hue and cry dies down after a while, only to come to the forefront when another similar incident occurs.

It is high time that the law enforcing agencies handle this issue with more seriousness. The dead might be from the lowest rungs of society but they cannot be ignored, they deserve a better deal.

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	Heard someone saying the following goes into hooch (illicit liquor) making:- the water substance of almost every stale vegetable and fruits- the water substance of died animal skins- methanol- This business is a goldmine for becoming instant rich- Once addicted, it is difficult to get rid of addiction- Spirits and methanols are used while preparation- Anything that is perishable in eating are used as raw materials once they become stale and very staleIt is time concerned Ministry must PUT A COMPLETE BAN ON PREPARATION AND SALE OF HOOCH (ILLICIT LIQUOR). However, since the addiction is very high, clandestine preparation of hooch still can go on to meet the excess demand from addicts. Therefore, ways and means should be found out as to how to get rid of this menace. Even an item called �Ghutka� is very dangerous to the human body. Surprisingly, the Government found out that there is a tax evasion of Rs.1800 crores per annum and are more interested in collecting taxes. In my opinion, production and sale of Ghutka should also be banned as it is also a slow poison for a consuming person to contact chronic ailments. Periodically, debates should take place as to how to get rid of such unwanted elements from the society. The daily labourers after hard day�s work should be lured to better addictions which are not harmful to the immune system of the human body � such items should be found out and popularized and replaced with hooch and ghutka.
	S Gautam \| 07 January 2009 Reply to Comment \| New Comment \| Report Abuse