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The Rediff Special/ Kerala's liquor tragedy

The number of hooch-related deaths in Kerala has been growing over the years. Yet, the state's police and excise machinery remains a mute spectator, mainly because of the liquor barons' links with politicians and the flawed laws.

Last year, for example, an excise inspector in Kerala's Thrissur district was suspended because he raided a hooch-manufacturing den run by a powerful liquor contractor.

The hooch traders Click here

Officials and prohibition activists point out that Kerala witnesses a rash of hooch-related deaths every year, especially during festivals like Diwali and Onam. Yet, the state's excise laws do not prohibit the supply and sale of methanol (methyl alcohol), the killer ingredient in illicit hooch.

"The excise department in the state is toothless. We are treated with contempt by the politicians. Why then should it surprise anyone that we are unable to check the sale of illicit hooch or maintain quality in auctioned foreign liquor shops?" says a senior official bitterly.

Though there are no methanol manufacturers in the state, the liquor barons procure methyl spirit from hospitals and pharmaceutical agencies in Kerala. They also transport large consignments of cheap methanol from Karnataka -- mainly Mangalore and Bangalore -- and Tamil Nadu.

Fearing the devastation that can be caused by the misuse of methanol, most states in the country have restricted its possession, sale and use. In 1996, Kerala tried to follow in their footsteps. The state government passed a law -- the Kerala Poison Rules -- that termed methyl spirit as poison and empowered the police, excise and drug control departments to act against its possession and sale.

But the All-Kerala Scientific and Surgical Dealers Association and some leading chemical dealers moved a petition in the Kerala high court against the act. The petition said the regulations and specifications went against pharmaceutical and chemical dealers who deal with methyl spirit.

Taking their submissions into consideration, the court stayed the KPR on November 14, 1999. Though it is almost a year since the stay was imposed, the state government is yet to file a counter-petition to get the stay order lifted. An official in the state drug control department said the government's legal experts were still studying the high court order.

Till the rules are imposed in the state, the import and sale of methyl spirit will continue without any hindrance from the excise and drug control departments. Anyone will be able to stock, sell and transport any quantity of the deadly spirit without a licence or permit.

The government has not yet shown the courage to break the illicit hooch trade because of the nexus between local politicians, excise officials and liquor barons. "In fact, the CPI-M-led government is cultivating the hooch trade because liquor barons pay crores of rupees to their party fund," alleged Congress Member of Parliament V M Sudheeran.

Sudheeran led protest dharnas two years ago when Teeka Ram Meena, the collector of Thrissur district, was transferred because he forced the closure of illegal liquor shops belonging to several powerful liquor contractors.

Noted writer and orator Sukumar Azhikode, who has been supporting prohibition activists, says it is not weak excise laws but a strong police-excise-politician nexus that is behind the frequent hooch tragedies in Kerala. "Every political party in the state is a beneficiary of the liquor contractors. It is a sad state of affairs that the liquor lobby is ruling Kerala today; it does not matter who comes to power here," he fumes.

Last week's tragedy, which killed 35 persons in Kollam district, proved social activists like Azhikode correct. Hairunnisa alias Thatha, who was arrested and jailed for supplying spurious liquor that caused the deaths, told the police she paid lakhs of rupees to the Kairali television channel, which the CPI-M launched with much fanfare three months ago. She also confessed to making monthly payments to local CPI-M and Congress politicians.

The income-tax department further exposed the politician-liquor mafia links. Its officials extensively raided the offices and homes of a number of liquor barons last week.

In one of the documents seized from an influential liquor contractor, S Chandran alias Manichan, the income-tax officials unearthed names of people who had allegedly been on his payroll. The list included CPI-M politicians Koliyakkode Krishnan Nair, Kadakampally Surendran and Peroorkada Sadasivan, Congress politician M I Shanavas, CPI legislator Bhargavi Thankappan and many top police, excise and vigilance officers.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg. The menace of the hooch trade runs deep in the state. It is killing the poor people and making the rich people richer. The politicians, officials and liquor barons are all in it together," says Father Jacob Mannaraparayil, vice-president of the prohibition movement, Kerala Madhyanirodhana Samiti.

"Until that is dealt with," he says, "more hooch trade and more hooch tragedies will continue to occur in Kerala."

Also read: Death in the bottle

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