'Adverse Consequences': Lives Of Bihar Citizens At Risk Due To State's Ineffective Implementation Of Liquor Ban

The lives of the citizens of Bihar have come under risk because the state government failed to implement its much-touted prohibition law effectively, stated the Patna High Court in its order on October 12.

The remark was made by the single-judge bench of Justice Purnendu Singh, who also identified the "adverse consequences" of the government's "laxity", such as a spurt in hooch tragedies, drug addiction, and environmental threats posed by an inappropriate destruction of seized bottles.

The sale and consumption of alcohol were banned entirely in Bihar by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in April 2016, in keeping with a promise made to the women of the state by the CM ahead of the assembly polls conducted the previous year, reported NDTV.

'Large Number Of Hooch Tragedies'

The court was hearing the bail petition of Niraj Singh, a resident of Muzaffarpur district who has been in jail since November last year in a prohibition-related case.

"This court finds that the lives of the citizens of the state are risked by the failure of the state machinery in effectively implementing the provisions of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016, as amended from time to time," stated the bench.

The court highlighted the "large numbers of hooch tragedies" happening after prohibition came into force as "the most worrying part" and hit hard on the state government for having "failed to develop standard operating protocol" for the treatment of those who fell sick after consuming spurious liquor.

The bench noted that illegal liquor was adulterated with methyl, five millilitres of which was "enough to make one go blind, and 10 millilitres is quite often fatal". It added that "separate health centres" should be in place and be manned by specially trained personnel to treat such patients.

'Rampant Use Of Illicit Drugs'

The bench also noted that besides hooch, "rampant use of illicit drugs" was another cause for worry and rapped the state government for having "failed to stop trafficking" of narcotics across Bihar.

The court underscored concern that consumption of intoxicating substances such as charas, ganja, and bhang, all derivatives of cannabis, had shot up since prohibition, and "most addicts were below 25 years of age, some even as young as ten years old".

Need For 'Environment-Friendly Policy'

The Patna High Court stressed the need for an "environment-friendly policy" concerning liquor contained in the bottles. It pointed out that the quality of underground water and soil has deteriorated in localities close to where it is destroyed.

Further, concern was also expressed over the "hiring of minors" as having become "a new way of smuggling liquor in the dry state, they (smugglers) know that once they (the minors) are arrested, they will face trial in juvenile court and will be released within a few months".

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