Nobody needs to tell a tippler where to get his stuff from. Distances do not matter to him. Nor does the change in weather. Rain or shine, the bottle-hugger would go great lengths to have his swig.
However, the Supreme Court verdict requiring States to remove all retail liquor outlets within 500 metres of State and national highways has made the situation distressful for habitual drinkers. Those living on the State’s borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are luckier, as they have the option of crossing the border to get a drink or two. With the liquor trade increasingly tending to go underground following the SC verdict, it is a trend fast catching up.
At many places in Wayanad, the porous border and lack of intervention by the Police and Excise departments are making the banks of the Kabani river a preferred operating ground for the hooch mafia in Karnataka. With the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) deciding to clamp down on liquor trade, all bars, except a five star one, and five out of the 11 retail liquor outlets in the district had been closed. Although the SC directive has not made any difference on the ground, except for a protest at Mananthavady about the relocation of a retail outlet, regular drinkers are now heavily dependent on the outlets on the other side of the border.
Danger to wildlife
The number of outlets on the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu side has increased over the past year, according to Excise Department sources. The Thirunelly grama panchayat authorities had recently requested the Karnataka government to prevent such moves as it would adversely affect the tribal communities in the border areas. The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) had opened five retail counters in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border towns.
“Sixteen retail shops in Karnataka are preparing to transfer their location to the Kutta and Machoor areas in Karnataka,” said P.R. Sreejith, lawyer and environmentalist. He said TASMAC was also planning to open five new retail outlets on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border when the SC issued the directive. Kerala forest authorities fear that the move to relocate outlets on the Karnataka side closer to the border would fuel tippler rush and affect the wildlife habitat that forms part of the Nagarahole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wayanad zone and houses the single largest population of tigers in the world.
How the mafia works
This is besides the sale of spurious liquor at petty shops on the banks of the Kabani and mobile outlets run by carriers. Villagers and people in tribal hamlets are the main customers of these outlets and carriers. Liquor is sold in 90 ml sachets, similar to the liquor sachets of the Karnataka State Beverages Corporation, at the rate of ₹30 to ₹120. “Though both packets look similar, the taste is different,” a regular client at Marakkadavu, near Pulpally, said.
It is suspected that the mafia brew liquor at Anamalam, a settlement inside the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, and ferry it across the Kabani river. According to Mr. Sreejith, they have bases at Machoor, Bairakuppa, and Bavali, on the other side of the river. Tribespeople and children are used as carriers, says Kamala, a tribeswoman at Perikkallur. Tribespeople too have been crossing the border to drink.
Preventive measures
However, Wayanad District Collector B.S. Thirumeni said the district administration has decided to strengthen the Janamaithri excise squad in the district. The Excise Department had launched the project in Mananthavady taluk last year to curb illicit liquor, especially in the tribal hamlets. “As the functioning of the squad has proved to be effective, we are planning to expand their activities to other taluks with the support of social activists, Kudumbasree workers, and the Health Department,” Mr. Thirumeni said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) V.G. Kunhan said the police were also coordinating with officials of departments, including the Revenue, Excise , Police and Tribal Development personnel, to organise raids and check vehicles on the Kerala-Karnataka and Kerala-Tamil Nadu border to curb the transportation of liquor.
