Hooch Tragedy: Acute cheap liquor shortage dogs AP

The AP government's announcement that it would make cheap liquor available in tetra packs to control the loose sales of ID liquor and spurious liquor is not being translated into action. With cheap liquor unavailable to the poor and low income group people, they are left with no alternative but to consume ID liquor and spurious liquor with tragic consequences.

The latest tragedy to his the state is the death of five persons in the hooch tragedy in Vijayawada. As many as 25 fell sick and are being treated in various hospitals. Though such incidents have happened in the past, the government is not initiating the necessary steps.
Though the government has opened the flood gates for the cheap liquor, the distillaries are not coming forth to produce it. Despite the reduction of excise duty and VAT on cheap liquor, the distillaries seem disinterested. As a result, there is acute shortage of cheap liquor and a consequently, a steep rise in the sale of ID liquor and hooch.
Previously, 30000 litres of ID liquor used to be sold per day in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Now, according to estimates, in Andhra Pradesh alone, the sale is around 50000 litres a day.

Distillaries refusing to make cheap liquor
AP has some 14 licensed distillaries with has a production capacity of 1221.58 lakh proof litres. As part of the agreement with the Government, the companies give an undertaking that cheap liquor would form 20 per cent of their production. But, the companies prefer to make prominent brands ignoring cheap liquor. This is the chief cause of the acute cheap liquor shortage.

Is Hologram the real problem?
 To prevent the loose sales, the government had planned to introduce 60 ml cheap liquor bottles. The bottles were to be sold at Rs 20 a piece. But, the nib bottles need to have labels with holograms, which is a costly affair and the companies are flatly refusing to make Nib bottles. The government has clearly failed to force the companies to fall in line. Government directive to the distillaries to sell the cheap liquor in tetra pack too failed as the distillaries are not willing to buy tetra pack machines from China. Significantly, only two distillaries in the state are producing cheap liquor.