Toddy withdrawal symptoms aggravate

Adilabad district of Telangana is facing a big problem due to several incidents of habitual drinkers of toddy and liquor falling sick and nearly 20 persons including women died till now due to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Even family members of the patients are experiencing this kind of situation for the first time.

Four habitual drinkers died in a single day in Nirmal town on Saturday and it shows the severity of the situation. Some of the habitual drinkers even committed suicide with the alcohol withdrawal symptoms.          

The incidents of habitual drinkers falling sick and behaving differently first reported in Kamole village in Bhainsa where villagers boycotted liquor in any form and its sales and later the incidents reported from Basar village where five persons died and nearly 400 habitual drinkers including women hospitalized.

Subsequently, 13 habitual drinkers died and large number of patients admitted to government and private hospital in Nirmal town and one habitual drinker died in Khanapur in the recent past.

This situation arose with the surprise raids on gudumba and adulterated toddy manufacturing centres and closing them by officials of excise department under the instruction from the state government just after reviewing its decision to introduce cheap liquor in the state.

The state government or district administration drew criticism from the people for not taking up any exercise to tackle the situation arise before going to crackdown adulterated toddy and gudumba. The officials concerned have failed in opening de-addiction centres to deal with the situation.            

Nirmal area hospital has become another Erragadda hospital where many patients are behaving differently and are admitted and tied to beds. According to medical experts, habitual drinkers are behaving differently as their body was not getting sufficient dose of drug though medicines to that of adulterated toddy.

Even, small dose of medicines Diazepam and Clonazepam tables proved to be futile being given to the habitual drinkers undergoing treatment at many government and private hospitals in the district. These tablets will be given to the patients suffering from anxiety, disorders alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

It is said that the toddy manufactures add certain drugs to toddy to ensure kick to the drinkers habituated to the adulated toddy over the years.

More number of adulterated toddy related deaths reported in slums where nearly 10,000 habitual drinkers and majority of them daily wage laborers living in the Nirmal town alone and their number was pegged at 50,000 in the Nirmal division.

Liquor shops on a high after state government's gudumba crackdown

Telangana governments’ decision of backtracking on introducing cheap liquor and cracking down on manufacturing of Gudumba (distilled liquor) and adulterated toddy has created much demand for the liquor shops though 10 percent increase in license fee every year for two years period. The application fee increased to Rs 50,000 from Rs 25,000 under new excise policy.

Excise officials received 1,541 applications for just 156 liquor shops and no application for two liquor shops at Kerameri and Singapur near Mancherial in the Adilabad district. There was nearly 50 percent rise in applications for liquor shops this year when compared to 974 applications for 158 shops for the year 2014-15. 

According to official sources, single tender applications for only 18 liquor shops. This indicates that an average 10 applicants is competing for license for each liquor shop.

The Adilabad excise department got revenue of Rs 7.70 crore only with the applications fee which is non- refundable.   

The liquor contractors and business men in liquor strongly believes that there would be good sales of liquor in the coming days as people will be left with only liquor since state government is cracking down on Gudumba and adulterated toddy. Excise officials closed many toddy manufacturing centres in the last one week.

License fee Rs 78 lakh was fixed for liquor shop in the area of having 10,000 population, Rs 81.60 lakh for above 10,000 to 50,000 population and Rs 1.80 crore for 50,000 to 3 lakh population. The license will be for two years period which will be end up   by September 30, 2017. It is surprise to note that officials received 62 applications for liquor ship in Bejjur and this was highest number of applications to single shop. 

Senior excise officer of Adilabad said ‘they never thought such huge demand for liquor shops and attributed the trend to tough action initiated against manufacturing and sale of Gudumba and adulterated toddy by the state government. He added that the recent raids on gudumba and adulterated toddy across the state and arresting the people involved boosted the confidence of prospective liquor businessmen.            

It was quite clear that close relatives and family members of the top political leaders were making al out efforts to clinch the liquor shops by crook or hook in the benami names. They are also convincing their rivals and offering good will to the persons who will get license in the lucky draw.

The license holders have to pay the fee in six installments and bank agreement to avoid the incidents of defaulters. There was huge demand for liquor shops located in the centre of Adilabad, Mancherial, Bellampalli and Nirmal towns.

An enthusiastic businessman who got liquor shop license in Adilabad town said “it was known fact that there was huge demand for liquor shops this year in the wake of states government’s decision to control gudumba and adulterated toddy. This will force the habitual drinkers to go for liquor consumption and it naturally increases liquor sales and profits in the coming days”. 
                                                                                                                                    ( Sept 23, 2015)