Andhra Pradesh is one of the top five states in the country as far as deaths and diseases connected with alcoholism are concerned. Around 30 per cent of the population are habitual drinkers and thousands die of liver cirrhosis and other ailments every year. Around 20 per cent of the patients admitted in mental institutes are victims of alcohol addiction, not to mention crimes, suicides, widowhood, road accidents, broken families and the debt traps created by alcoholism. However, there is neither a single de-addiction centre nor a helpline to look into the problems and the rehabilitation of the victims of alcoholism.
There is also no department to register liquor-related deaths. NGOs oppose the new excise policy, which does not have any checks on the around two lakh belt shops. “Around 50-60 per cent of the accidents in AP are due to drunken driving. If the Chief Minister doesn’t take the initiative to remove belt shops from highways, we will hold a protest against the new excise policy on June 26, when the lottery to grant licences is held,” anti-liquor forum convener V. Lakshman Reddy said.
There are about two lakh unauthorised private belt shops in the state while 5,686 shops are licensed by the government. Moreover, in districts like Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam and Adilabad, there are 10,000 widows below the age of 25, thanks to adulterated toddy, said Mr Reddy. “About Rs 110 crore was allotted in the budget since 2006 for spreading awareness against alcohol but the amount was diverted to the Chief Minister’s relief fund,” Mr Reddy added.
Ms G. Jhansi, the general secretary of the Progressive Organisation of Women told this correspondent: “We will hold a demonstration against the new excise policy, and would demand deaddiction camps in all mandals.”