THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Excise minister T. P. Ramakrishnan told the assembly on Thursday that the closure of liquor outlets could not bring down consumption but illicit liquor, spirit and drug cases were shooting up. During the 24 days of April alone there was 35 percent increase in cases registered under Abkari Act, 67 percent rise in cases under NDPS Act and 100 percent rise in spirit related cases. Cases of tobacco misuse shot up by 170 percent. He also said the excise department had strengthened the enforcement drives.
A large number of liquor outlets and beer parlours across the state were shut from April 1 following the Supreme Court restricted them within 500 metres on either side of highways. “Prohibition would not prompt people to keep off liquor. It could be achieved only through abstinence. Hence the government was giving much emphasis to Vimukthi programme,” he said. The minister said that the government was looking into public protest regarding liquor outlets and decisions would be taken as per the law. The government was also considering taking off the powers of local bodies to grant no-objection certificates to liquor outlets. Concerns of the tourism sector following the restrictions would also be considered while finalising the state’s liquor policy, he said.
