The CM of
Kerala Oommen Chandy has ordered a ban on the sale of alcohol in all non-5 star
outlets in the state and a liquor prohibition in stages completing after ten
years. On hearing this there on the go fierce discussion drill in channels
about a total ban. Is there any total ban? Nothing of the sort.
This episode
somewhat resembles the story of yet another Chandy of Cherthala suburb. Much
before Christian clergies started to preach laity to procreate more Chandy of
Cherthala recognised the importance of more children. He and his wife Sosamma have
12 children. When all the children were studying in school and colleges on every
morning there was a big quarrel among children to get the only iron in the
house to press their uniform. On seeing this Chandy would come forward and
throw the iron to their pond to keep it safe. The quarrel of the children would
thus come to an end. Here the liquor ban is the iron and all ministers and leaders
are the children. The CM by imposing a total liquor ban has stopped the quarrel
among ministers.
I don’t
think that there would be any loss of revenue due to liquor ban. If only 20
percent of the revenue is obtained from bars this could be compensated from the
additional sale of liquor in Beverages outlets. And if 7500 bar tenders lose
their job another 15000 thousand would get job as bystander before Beverages
outlet queue. Many clients of the closed bars would employ people on daily
wages to get their quota from outlets. The tourists coming to Kerala are for seeing
lakes and lagoons and not to remain inebriated all the time.
The claim of
government that a strict ban will reduce crime rates and make the streets safer
for women is wrong as there is no liquor ban in the state. What the government should
do is to come down heavily on the drug and illicit liquor mafia that are
exploiting the younger generation. Implementation of complete liquor ban, as
many vociferously converse, is never could be seen in any part of Kerala in
immediate future. A period of 10 years is not a short span of time.
K A
Solaman
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