hooch tragedy in T.N.

 The hooch tragedy in T.N. points to failures in policy and enforcement

Good governance is

• about anticipating obstacles 
• and Remove fault lines,
•  preventing the loss of human life, at the very least. 

Tamilnadu incident

Over the last couple of days in Kallakurichi, in north Tamil Nadu, 39 people have died after consuming hooch laced with methanol.

 

With others admitted in hospital in a critical condition, the toll might go up even further, rendering this one of the most devastating hooch tragedies in recent times. 

Other examples in past 

hooch tragedy which claimed several lives in 2023 in Marakkanam and Madhuranthakam, also in north Tamil Nadu, 

where it was clear that industrial methanol was being diverted to the illicit brewing cottage industry.

क्या है कारण 

 १ The relatives of those dead have spoken about the easy availability of cheap hooch in the region regularly, 

२ cost of the local moonshine is much lower than the price of alcohol in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) shops. 

मूनशाइन 

हाई-प्रूफ शराब है, जो पारंपरिक रूप से अवैध रूप से बनाई या वितरित की जाती है

३ With irregular incomes of daily wage, fuelled by an aggressive price rise in liquor and fleecing at the TASMAC shops, regular drinkers gravitated towards the local brew. 

पुलिस और प्रशासन 

१ Prohibition Enforcement Wing of the Tamil Nadu police is mandated to pick up, and act on. 

२ The State government has now taken action against district officials and instituted a one-man committee to inquire into the tragedy. 

३ पैसों से मदद 

The Chief Minister has also announced a solatium of ₹10 lakh each for the families of those who died, and a sum of ₹50,000 for those in hospital. 

४ The CB-CID has commenced investigation into the case.

एक अन्य प्रकार की मिलावट Mathanol का प्रयोग

Methanol, also a form of alcohol, is added to moonshine to increase its strength. 

It is a potent poison, and even in very small quantities, can cause liver failure, blindness, and death. 

सरकारें क्या prayas कर रही 

१ While various governments have shifted the State’s position on allowing or banning the brewing of arrack शराब , 

२ TASMAC in 2002 

one measure that seemed to have controlled deaths due to hooch after its introduction was selling low-cost liquor through TASMAC in 2002. 

That year, methanol was brought under the ambit of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, and rules were amended to control methanol supply. 

However, in the light of Kallakurichi, it seems methanol flows freely. 

क्या किया जा सकता है ?

The government needs to shut down the small-scale industry of illicit brewing in the State,

 and should also expressly work towards increasing public health awareness on the inherent dangers of drinking hooch.

source the hindu