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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 25 (EMN): Despite the enactment of total prohibition on liquor by the government of Nagaland in 1989, alcohol continues to find its way into the state, as is evident from the seizure and ‘destruction’ of Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from across the state, including the one in Kohima on Friday, which officials said was one of the largest in terms of size in recent times.
Assorted IMFL comprising 2,294 cases and 165 loose bottles and cans were destroyed during the exercise in Kohima, with officials projecting the worth of the destroyed liquor at INR 1,06,43,270 (one crore six lakh forty-three thousand two hundred and seventy).
According to the assistant commissioner of Excise (Zonal) Kohima, S Phyobemo Kikon, the IMFL destroyed on Friday were seizures made by the 3rd Assam Rifles on March 23, 2019.
The consignment was kept at their camp/garrison “due to security reasons and acute space constraint at the dilapidated Excise office in Kohima”, he said.
Advisor for Sericulture, Excise, and Minority Affairs, Zhaleo Rio, called for a concerted effort and rededication towards enforcing the prohibition of liquor in the state.
Speaking during the event, Zhaleo said that most of the liquor was seized in Kohima and Dimapur as the national highway has become the main route for transportation of alcohol and other illegal substances.
“The department is doing its best but on behalf of the department, I admit that we are not doing up to the satisfaction and receives criticism from the public,” he admitted.
According to him, total prohibition has been ‘made possible through the prayer of the churches and public’, pointing out that it was enforced due to public outcry led by the church.
He called upon the civil societies to extend help to the department enforcing total prohibition in the state and requested ‘the churches and the NGOs to continue to actively support the department, instead of throwing blames at one another’.
Zhaleo also said that bootleggers and ‘unwanted elements’ running illegal businesses ‘has been going on for so long in the state’, and called for a concerted effort from the churches, NGOs and the public to pursue ‘what is best for the people’.
“Total prohibition has become a very controversial thing but if we are to continue this total prohibition, then there is also a need for debate and discussion,” the advisor asserted, adding that the department of Excise alone should not be made to carry the blame.
He also expressed concern that the rate of alcohol-related death in the state is high.