Illegal liquor consumption: Need strict compensation in alcohol related incidents

Hyderabad: A father’s ghastly act in an inebriated condition led to the orphaning of two kids, and in a very welcome decision, the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the state to award compensation of Rs 2 lakhs each to the two minors.

This is a landmark decision made by the judges in which the state has been actually held responsible for the plight of the children and I couldn’t agree more because if the liquor policy had been adhered too, then there would have been law abiding citizens who wouldn’t have harmed their very own offsprings.
The government now needs to make serious efforts to undo the harm caused to many more such children who have been victims of such abuse.

In the case in point, the elder child himself deposed and revealed before the court that his father had in fact strangled his mother.The gruesome act committed by a guardian in-charge of his well-being and protection is bound to have an indelible impact on his psychology and thought process that would hamper his proper mental and physical growth, thereby affecting his future.

It is really unfortunate that we get to hear so many shocking incidents of child abuse not just related to liquor addiction but other things as well, which hinder their overall personality development, character and morals.

As these children grow up, as young adults, they feel betrayed by the society at large, unless of course the legal system and society intervenes at the right time to undo the harm caused to them.

This decision of the court should also extend to other areas of abuse like child labour, domestic labour and sexual abuse. Only when the law is stringent and this sort of punishment is awarded, can there be some relief.

In my view, these children must be also given proper education and jobs by the state government, instead of asking a relative to take care of them. Children are the future of the nation and they are very tender at heart.

For a country to prosper, these children must be given good education and a conducive environment to grow. Alcohol abuse has been a major issue across the country and there have been many instances where children have also fallen prey to substance abuse because of the influence around them. If such strict compensations are announced and the government is strict enough to shut the illegal belt shops, then alcohol abuse would soon be history.