Combatting illicit liquor
That fines added up to a staggering Rs. 100.4 million
collected from the illicit liquor trade certainly is a cause for
alarm particularly at a time the Government has waged an all out
war on alcohol and drug abuse in the country.
According to our lead story yesterday this is a record sum.
What is even more alarming is the discovery that illicit liquor
accounted for 65 percent of the total market share with the
legalised and soft liquor accounting for the rest.
Leaving aside the revenue loss to the State this also shows
the degree to which the illicit liquor trade is flourishing in
our midst and if not contained is certainly going to have grave
consequences to the country. For, it will not only rob the
nation of the flower of it’s youth to drugs and alcohol but also
the vital manpower at a time we are emerging as a new nation
having just seen the end of three decades of war.
It is therefore vital that all stay healthy and fit to
undertake this gigantic task of nation building. A nation
addicted to illicit liquor is the last thing that the Government
would want at this stage.
Although the President’s mathata titha program has shown
positive results the decline in the liquor consumption trend was
garnered only from the statistics of the legal liquor trade. No
tabs were kept on the bootlegging industry to ascertain the
extent of liquor addiction in the country. A true picture has
now emerged.
It is only through the fines that such a trend came to light.
That these fines have amounted to Rs. 100.4 million during a
seven month period is shocking to say the least. What is more,
these fines are only in connection with the Excise raids, with
the detections made by the Police not included. One shudders to
think what the final tally would be if these too were taken into
account.
It goes without saying that it is a difficult task to wean
away habitual drinkers from the bottle whatever programs may be
introduced by the Government. Periodic increase in the price of
liquor can only drive the addict to cheaper sources of hard
liquor. All Governments have used the excise tax as a steady
source of income although preaching abstinence. But the figures
show that the State had been receiving this tax only from 35
percent of the market share.
In fact the State for all intents and purposes may be the
loser considering the extra allocations it will have to make to
the health budget to cure alcohol related diseases resulting
from the consumption of the deadly brew. It would be prudent
therefore to refrain from resorting to periodic increases in the
prices on regular brands, so that the committed drinker would
not be driven to illicit liquor. This, while recouping the lost
revenue for the State could also reduce the health risk to the
drinkers.
Of course the Government’s mathata titha program was based on
the moral aspect of the matter. It wanted to wean the public
from the drinking habit in toto and thus launched programs to
educate the people on the evils of alcohol. While it can be
happy at the results of it’s efforts with the liquor consumption
showing a marked drop, steps should also be taken to do
something about the alarming increase in the illicit liquor
consumption which does not figure in the statistics.
Nothing short of an all out war on the illicit liquor trade
would help eradicate the menace. Today it is no secret that the
moonshine business is being carried out with impunity under the
very nose of the law enforcement officers, who are either in
cahoots with the kassippu mudalalis or fear action due to
political pressure. Half the battle would be won if this nexus
is broken and the country rid of a cancerous growth which is
eating into the vitals of the nation.
President Rajapaksa has defeated the scourge of terrorism
that defied all his predecessors and ushered in a new
independence for the country. He should now start from scratch
and rid the country of all other evils in the same way he
confronted the terrorist problem. Like he did not waver in his
commitment to see the war to a finish, he should apply the same
will to rid the country of the illicit liquor menace.
President Rajapaksa has reiterated that he wants to use home
grown human resources in the massive development projects the
country is about to embark on in the post war era. Therefore he
should take steps to wipe out all the impediments that stand in
the way to the blossoming of human resources. It is gratifying
to note his pledge to rid the country of the drug and alcohol
menace in the same manner he rid the country of terrorism.
Hopefully all arms of law would embark on their mission in
earnest to realize the President’s goal. |