Tea workers cautioned against liquor consumption in Silchar

Special Correspondent

SILCHAR: One of the greatest banes of the tea tribe community is the consumption of illicit and country-made liquor which plays havoc with them and their family. In order to dissuade the tea workers from the harmful effect of liquor, the Excise department of Cachar and anti-drug council of Assam jointly organized awareness camps in 30 tea gardens of the district and more will be brought under is purview in phase manner, pointed out Sunil Sinha, superintendent, department of excise, Cachar. The very thrust of the awareness drive is to see that the production, sale and consumption of such liquor is nipped in the bud forever.

Local NGOs and social and cultural clubs have come forward to extend necessary help in this drive.

According to a report, in Assam, in general, 35.6 per cent male consume liquor while 7 percent women take to it.

In tea gardens of the State, 91 per cent men and 79 per cent women have the habit to consume liquor. This is no doubt an alarming trend and if it is not contained it will have far reaching consequences to shatter a family. There have been several instances of social and economic disaster. Liquor consumption in Assam is six times more than all India average.

A report was quoted in the awareness programme and release of a 20 minute documentary film on the theme of the baneful effect of liquor consumption held in the auditorium of District Library here last evening. The report was from the record of Assam Medical College which shows 10 per cent male patients have liquor born diseases. Three per cent women have liquor born diseases. The documentary shown reveals many disturbing facts, enough to jerk a man given to bad habit. It is relevant to say that 150 people, mostly tea garden workers died at Golaghat last February described as the worst hooch tragedy of Assam.

The awareness programme focussed on the way illicit liquor is prepared. This is the combined mixture of inferior jiggery, coarse soap, rubber of abandoned sandals, leaves of rough trees and folic acid. After preparation, it is kept in kerosene bottle. It is now ready for sale. Its consumption causes injury to brain, kidney, eye, liver, heart and other vital organs. The tea tribe workers who take to profession of illicit liquor sale rue how can they maintain themselves if their traditional engagement is lost?

Laya Madduri, Cachar Deputy Commissioner, offers them good piece of advice. They can easily shift to Central Government schemes and avail themselves of soft loans to open their alternative means of income. With loans they can have their own grocery shop, poultry farm and fishery. Those who will not desist from bad habit will face punitive action as per Assam Excise Act, 2016. Parimal Suklabaidya, Minister of Excise etc., said during the tenure of the last government, the earning from excise was Rs 399 crore. Now, the revenue has gone up to Rs 2,500 crore. Rs 2000 crore of it is earmarked for social welfare works, development of hospital, drinking water, agriculture, connectivity, education among others, the Minister added to say.

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