DC Edit | Hooch deaths are avoidable

The 22 deaths that occurred in two places in coastal Tamil Nadu from a hooch tragedy last week were avoidable. The cause is, of course, people looking for a ‘kick’ through cheaper liquor than is available aplenty in the state where it flows like water. Tamil Nadu is not the only state that suffers from compulsive drinkers looking for a quick ‘fix’ from country liquor and not only because they don’t wish to buy more expensive stuff from distillers. Even states that have a prohibition policy in place like Gujarat and Bihar record more deaths from illicit liquor than Tamil Nadu where such deaths have not occurred for nearly a decade and a half now. There is a problem of policy that sees the sale of Indian made foreign liquor as well as imported spirits being allowed but prohibits country liquor like arrack or the tapping of toddy.