1
Dr. Asangba Tzudir
Not all deaths in Nagaland can be attributed to drinking liquor. However, looking at the causes of deaths, including premature deaths, points to liquor. Not only death, but drinking liquor has been a social concern over the years considering the negative impacts on the society starting from individual and the family.
Living in whichever style and form, life has become a very difficult proposition today. Therefore, life deserves celebration especially the ‘right to life.’ However, on the contrary, the ‘freeflow’ of liquor in Nagaland in spite of the implementation of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTP) 1989, there is a shift towards a ‘right to take away life.’
Recently, the Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU) has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Commissioner of Excise, Dimapur, demanding that stringent action is taken to close down all liquor shops/outlets and check the inflow of liquor in Dimapur.
Citing the NLTP Act, the DNSU stated that the Act “is found to be just theoretical and not practical in nature since its inception” claiming that the “excise department had shown enough leniencies towards the sellers/producers/suppliers of liquor in Dimapur.” In addition, a strong statement from DNSU stated that “failure to comply with this ultimatum, the union will take its own course of action for which the concerned department will be held solely responsible for any untoward consequences.”
Taking the ultimatum with all seriousness and taking it as a wake-up call, the excise department through a press release has replied that immediate action will be taken to curb the flow of liquor by way of forming a dedicated committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner (NC) as Convenor to look into the implementation of the NLTP Act.
While DNSU has highlighted about the ‘leniency’ shown by the excise department, the concerned department has also stated certain difficulties faced by the department in executing the NLTP Act. A case in point is the “security threats from elemental forces,” as highlighted by the Advisor for Excise adding that the “department should be modernized and equipped with adequate logistics and arms.” It is agreeable on the point of “leniency” as pointed out by the DNSU, and thus calls for stringent measures if NLTP Act is to be implemented in practice.
However, the issue of security threats from elemental forces is a more challenging concern. The point of contention though is the call for equipping with adequate logistics and Arms. Logistics especially human resources needs to be adequate but to combat the flow of liquor by way equipping with adequate Arms may not be the best way out even though it is a question of life being put at stake, and calls for alternative means. This is also where the various NGO’s, Churches and Student bodies can play an important role in containing the security threats, so also in making a drastic shift from being lenient to strict enforcement of the NLTP Act.
It is not the case that liquor flows inside the state through various unknown or unseen channels under mysterious circumstances. And simply closing down shops selling liquor and such other outlets may not be the best solution because shops and outlets may disappear and re-appear somewhere else even at homes. To curb the flow of liquor, it is necessary that the main channels serving as the pipeline for liquor to flow in needs to be cut off.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
