Health effect of illicit liquor

Illicit liquor
flooding
Trichy's
TASMAC outlets
R Gokul ,TNN |
Feb 23, 2013,
12.51AM IST
TRICHY: It has
come to light
that a large
quantity of
illicit liquor
has reached
Trichy market.
What is more,
they are
illegally sold at
some TASMAC
bars after the
stipulated sale
hours, posing
risk to clients.
But tipplers in
Trichy city are
unaware that
they are prone
to a lot of
serious health
complications by
drinking illicit
liquors being
sold in some
TASMAC bars in
Trichy.
A recent raid by
Prohibition
Enforcement
Wing (PEW),
Trichy, had
exposed the
arrival of illicit
liquor in Trichy
bars. In a
surprise raid
conducted on
February 9 at a
bar in Woraiyur
Nachiyarkovil
street, the PEW
police had
confiscated 54
bottles of illicit
liquor bottles
which bore the
labels of
branded
prodcuts. Two
persons in the
bar were also
arrested.
On the same
day, the PEW
police
confiscated
2,850 Indian
Made Foreign
Liquor (IMFL)
bottles from a
house in
Karumandapam
in Trichy.
PEW inspector G
Neelakantan told
ToI, "We raided
the bar in
Woraiyur
following a tip-
off from a
tippler who
complained of
illicit liquor
sales. Our
investigation
revealed that the
illicit liquor and
the IMFL were
brought from
Pondicherry. It
was the first
time in the past
five months, we
confiscated illicit
liquor in
TASMAC bars."
According to the
sources, the
spurious liquor
is made in a
factory in Karur
area for a long
time. Such items
are sent to
TASMAC bars in
Trichy and other
areas where they
are sold after
the scheduled
sale hours at 10
pm. However,
the tipplers
unaware of the
fact, consume
these counterfeit
products. As
they are
available for
cheap prices, the
bars prefer to
sell them to earn
enormous
income.
However,
Neelakantan said
"TASMAC bar
employees buy
original brands
in the wine
shops and mix
the bottles with
the illicit liquor
so that the
customers
cannot identify.
We are not sure
that illicit liquors
are being sent
from Karur area.
However, we are
regularly
conducting
raids."
Though specious
liquor is sold in
TASMAC bars
run by private
parties, it is sure
that it cannot be
done without the
consent of
TASMAC
employees.
Commenting on
the issue, T
Soundaiya,
TASMAC
managing
director, told
ToI, "It is
obvious that the
employees in
government-run
TASMAC shops
would be aware
of illegal sale of
illicit liquors in
the bar attached
to their shops. It
is their duty to
inform the PEW
police about it.
Otherwise, they
would be
considered as
working in
cahoots with
such
miscreants."
On the other
hand, the health
complications
are very high
due to
consumption of
illicit liquor. Dr
M A Aleem of
Trichy, said "First
of all, the optic
nerve will be
affected by their
consumption. Its
high level of
alcoholic content
will lead to ulcer
in a short period
and severely
affect liver,
kidney, brain
and cerebellum.
Memory loss and
unsteadiness
follow.". Times of India. 23.2.2013