Mumtaz Alam, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, July 18: With the death toll in the Friday hooch tragedy reaching 32 till the time this piece is being written, and two dozen others are in critical condition, it’s time for the state government of Uttar Pradesh to take a bold decision like its eastern neighbour Bihar has done. Production, sale and consumption of liquor should be completely banned.
The latest hooch tragedy took place in Etah and Farrukhabad districts on Friday. Till today, while 28 have died in Etah four others in Farrukhabad.
Such tragedies have been taking place on and off in different parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh.
According to the 2013 report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 15 people die every day – or one every 96 minutes – from the effects of drinking alcohol, an India Spend analysis says.
The per capita consumption of alcohol in India increased 38 percent, from 1.6 litres in 2003-05 to 2.2 litres in 2010-12, according to a World Health Organisation report.
Following the recent tragedy, according to media reports, a state-wide crackdown against production and sale of illicit liquor has been launched in Uttar Pradesh. Huge quantity of illicit liquor and its raw material has been recovered from various places including Bareilly, Kushinagar, Bijnore, Allahabad, Sonbhadra, Etah, Mau and Kanpur Dehat.
The tragedy has earned the attention of national politicians. While Bharatiya Janata Party has formed a team in the leadership of its Agra MP Ramshankar Katheria, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has expressed profound grief over the loss of lives in Etah. “My deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy,” the young Gandhi tweeted.
But it’s time political leaders and parties go beyond and take a final call.
Akhilesh Yadav, one of the youngest chief ministers in the country today, can learn from his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha. Both made liquor ban a poll promise in their election manifestos and soon after thumping victory they began acting upon their promise because they felt the pre-poll promise had helped them lot in their victory.
In April this year, Nitish imposed prohibition – a ban on the sale, production and consumption of alcohol. On May 23, the first day of her fourth term as Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa shut down 500 liquor stores in Tamil Nadu.
Uttar Pradesh is going to Assembly polls early next year. Rather than making it a poll promise, Akhilesh should announce complete prohibition now. No wonders, it can brighten his return to the power.
