Faced with opposition criticism of its policy of retailing liquor through state-run outlets, Tamil Nadu Government today said it was not happy doing the business but was sticking to it only to prevent the menace of hooch.
"We are completely aware of the results of liquor. We have not taken this decision happily. We are forced to take this so that there is no hooch related incidents in the state," state Prohibition and Excise Minister Natham R Viswanathan said in the state assembly.
He was responding to CPI (M) leader K Bala Bharathi's submission during a debate on the grants for his department that liquor was the root cause of all evils in the state.
The state government earned a revenue of over Rs 21,600 crore through sale of liquor by state-owned TASMAC outlets during the last fiscal.
Observing that there has been no hooch related incidents in the state in the last few years, the Minister said, "If we are not into this (liquor sale), youth would be facing dangerous situations through hooch, in addition, their money would land up in wrong hands."
When insisted for taking a second look into the issue, Viswanathan said, "Only if our neighbouring states are implementing a total prohibition, we can implement, else illegal liquor traffic into our state will start."
He went on to add, "There can be a permanent solution only if the Centre announces total prohibition in all states, which again is not possible."
When MMK leader M H Jawahirullah pointed out that the state government was spending only Rs one crore to create awareness on health dangers of consuming liquor, while it earned over Rs 21,641 crore, the Minister said, "Rs one crore is certainly enough to conduct essay competition and likewise competitions and to give away prizes."
Not satisfied with the reply, Jawahirullah said the government must consider spending at least 10 per cent of the total revenue earned through liquor for creating awareness on its disadvantages. Viswanathan said he would take this proposal to the Chief Minister's consideration.
