The contentious Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act
of 1989, which prohibits the production, possession, sale, consumption, and
import and export of liquor in the state, has caught the attention of many,
especially church leaders, after the government of Nagaland announced the
relaxation of the Act during the 10-day Hornbill Festival for tourists
attending the event. Many seem to be perturbed by the state government’s
one-time move, fearing that the Act would be eventually revoked. On the other hand,
the state government is aware of the fact that the controversial Act could
stand in the way of its effort to boost tourism, especially during the Hornbill
Festival, which has been witnessing a significant footfall of tourists over the
years. As per the update from the department of Tourism, as many as 58,746
tourists, including 2,527 foreign and 56, 219 domestic tourists, attended the
just concluded 25th edition of the festival. While some can take this as a case
in point for the temporary lifting of the ban, others may take the government’s
move as a travesty of the purpose of the Act. But this heated debate,
allegations and counter allegations too will pass, as seen on several occasions
in the past. Albeit occasional seizures by the law enforcement agencies, liquor
will continue to flow into the state irrespective of whether or not the Act is
relaxed, making it less dry.
Interestingly, this contentious Act comes alive and triggers
debate only when someone stirs the hornet’s nest—mostly lawmakers. All hell
broke loose earlier this year when the government mooted the idea of partially
lifting the ban, and then during this year’s Hornbill Festival. Had the
concerned authority not issued a notification about the one-time relaxation of
the prohibition days ahead of the festival, it might not receive much traction.
After all, alcohol, especially rice beer, has been synonymous with the
festival. The point is, reacting only when the government makes the slightest
move won’t change the ground reality. It’s time the stakeholders go beyond
paper wars and seriously chalk out a feasible solution, because the
consequences of living in denial can be costly. We can’t deny the fact that
alcohol can break families besides affecting health and economic impact. The
circumstances and situation that necessitated the enactment of the NLTP Act
about 35 years ago also can’t be ignored. In the same vein, we can’t turn a
blind eye to the free flow of alcohol, which is driven by demand. Alcohol may
or may not be available at the Hornbill Festival venue in Kisama now that the
event has come to a close, but it will be available outside of it throughout
the year. With the NLTP Act in place, there is no legal drinking age in the
state, while alcohol is easily available. Then there is fruit beer, brewed by
fermenting fruits like strawberries, plums, raspberries, cherries, etc., which
are openly sold in the market. But these beverages have much more alcoholic
content than rice beer and several other banned brands. This reality calls for
the need to deliberate the issue with an open mind.
