Mangalore: Ban on Arrack - What would be the Alternative?
By Melka Miyar - Daijiworld Media Network
Mangalore, Jun 30: On the eve of the ban on arrack, the hot debate doing the rounds is what will happen to the owners of ‘gadangs’ meaning arrack shops and what will they do for a living.
The state government has firmly stuck to its decision to ban arrack from Sunday July 1. No doubt the ban is a good step from the point of view of public health. But it has its own demerits. There are thousands of arrack sellers in the state. Now they have to find a new job for their livelihood. They work in their shops for long hours facing pathetic conditions including facing drunkards and tolerated everything for the sake of their livelihood.
Jayaprakash, an arrack seller at Kankanady has been in this profession for the last 18 years. Lately he has been earning Rs 2000 per month. He works from 5.30 am to 10 pm everyday and earns extra by selling cola, soda and snacks. When he started selling arrack, it was 8 Rs for 100 ML and was sold loose. Packets have been introduced recently.
When asked about his future, he said ‘Just going home now. I have not decided anything yet. I know a little electrical work. I will stick on to it until I get a new job.’
Another person from Kushtagi was enjoying his last sips of arrack. But he knows this joy will be no more. When asked what would be his next preference he said, ‘bars are there, why to worry? How can I live without this?’ he simply laughed while showing his glass.
One interesting thing came into light in the gadang while having conversation with the customers in there. According them, many people would die owing to non-availability of arrack. Reason - there are hundreds of people who can’t live without arrack and they are not in a situation to go into the wine shops owing to financial limitations. They drink arrack instead of tea in the mornings. Moreover, the arrack shops open in the early mornings while wine shops do not open before 9 am. Hence, their condition would be pathetic, some gadang experts opine. But no one knows what the reality is.
Some are even thinking of purchasing spirits from the medical shops. A person here said that drinking spirit after adding some water gives a good kick. But little does he know what the impact on health owing to the consumption of spirit would be.
There are also discussions about consumption of illegal country liquor. But the customers are scared about the police canes. In some places in the city the arrack packets are sold at a lesser rate for stock clearance. There is also news that cheap liquor has been introduced in the wine shops. Hence, the money will divert towards the wine shops. It will be the same arrack but in a bottle; same arrack, but in the wine shops. What is the achievement our state government would do by banning arrack? The question remains unanswered.