Thiruvananthapuram: With the closure of 418 ‘substandard’ bar hotels depriving tipplers of their easy access to drinks, the scarcity is coming in handy for bootleggers and racketeers who smuggle in spirit from outside Kerala and sell it through licensed toddy shops and unauthorised outlets. In the absence of an effective system to check the hooch flow and ensure quality of the illicit brew, disaster is looming large over the state.
It was KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran who first sounded a warning against the possibility of a hooch tragedy in the state soon after the closure of bars. He urged the government to effectively monitor the situation pointing out that vested interests might take advantage of the shortage and supply spurious liquor. Excise department sources said toddy shops across the state were under surveillance.
It may be recalled that the Malappuram hooch tragedy in 2010, which snuffed out 26 lives, was caused by spurious liquor laced with methanol supplied at a local toddy shop. Similarly, methyl alcohol was responsible for 41 deaths in Kalluvathukal hooch tragedy in 2000. Experts say methyl alcohol, which is mainly used as industrial solvent, can be life-threatening if ingested.
A small quantity of methyl alcohol can blind a person while consumption of bigger quantity could be fatal. Meanwhile, in Thiruvananthapuram where 48 out of the 86 bar hotels are closed, the retail outlets of the Beverages Corporation are witnessing a heavy rush. The bar hotels, which are operational, have added more space to meet the demand.
Corporation sources said despite the closure of 418 bars, there would not be a proportionate dip in consumption as retail outlets and the 313 functional bars were registering big increase in sales. Excise Commissioner Mr. X. Anil said the exact fluctuation in sales could be ascertained only after finalising the month’s accounts.
In Ernakulam district, nearly 120 bars have been closed, affecting the livelihood of over 5,000 people engaged in the industry, said Jose Mohan, general secretary, Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association. “The bars formed only 24 per cent of the total liquor sales. So if they want to reduce liquor consumption, this may not serve the purpose,’’ he said.
Kozhikode district has not been affected as only five out of the 30 bars had been closed down. “People are purchasing bottles from Bevco outlets and selling it in rural areas for a profit,” said an excise official. In Kollam, drinkers are shelling out huge amounts to acquire their favourite brands from the black market. Major brands of liquor fly off the shelves of retail outlets by noon and tipplers don’t mind paying an extra Rs 150 to Rs 200 per litre to procure their brands.
Negative growth in IMFL sales
The quantum of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) sold in the state had recorded a negative growth for the first time. While 2.44 crore cases of IMFL were sold during the 2012-13 fiscal, during 2013-14 fiscal it came down to 2.40 crore - a difference of just minus 1 per cent. "To the best of our knowledge, it is for the first that a minus growth has been recorded in the quantity of IMFL being sold anywhere in Asia," said Excise Commissioner Mr. X Anil.
