The Morena hooch tragedy has once again brought into focus the problem of illicit liquor that haunts Madhya Pradesh. It's the second such tragedy in three months – in Ujjain, 14 Peoples died after consuming illicit liquor in October last year.

According to rough estimates, the state loses Rs 100 crore a month due to the illicit liquor trade – this, without taking into account the cost in human life and health.

In a crackdown against spurious liquor after the Morena tragedy, Bhopal administration raided several places on Thursday morning including Haripura, Arjun Nagar, Narerla Shankari, Kokta, Kanhasaliyya, Sukhi Sewania, Amoni, Bhadbhada, Kheria Tapra and Balampur. The Team seized around 8,400 Kg Mahua and 320 litres of hand furnace liquor, Under Excise Act 1915.

Officials say, the gangs engaged in hooch trade are so vicious that officials of excise and police department have often been attacked during raids.

In one such incident, around a dozen vehicles of the excise and police department were damaged by a hooch gang during a raid in Bhopal last November. Sources say, such gangs are active across the state. The illegally manufactured liquor is made using industrial alcohol and other raw materials. It does not comply with the production standards and is not fit for human consumption. The spurious liquor in the Morena tragedy was manufactured from the industrial alcohol, say officials.

"It must be noted that Madhya Pradesh does not manufacture alcohol. It is made in neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana among others", said deputy Commissioner (excise), Vinod Raghuwanshi, adding that industrial alcohol is smuggled from tankers carrying the spirit which pass through Madhya Pradesh.

"There are areas where people manufacture illicit liquor, we regularly raid such places, but they keep on moving their bases. They are kept under close watch always," said Raghuwanshi. The back-to-back hooch tragedies have come as a wake up call for MP.

Strict measures need to be taken to tackle this evil, as it is evident from the Morena tragedy that the illicit liquor mafia is far from vanquished.

Three more villagers died of the deadly hooch in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, taking the toll to 24, DGP Vivek Johri said.

A special investigation team (SIT) headed by additional chief secretary (Home) Rajesh Rajora arrived at Manpur village and began the probe. He had investigated the October 2020 Ujjain hooch tragedy as well.

Other members of the committee are ADG-CID Asai Manohar and DIG Mithilesh Shukla. They met villagers, recorded their statements and visited police stations. Officials said 15 people are still hospitalized in Morena and Gwalior after consuming spurious liquor. Those involved are being rounded up, DGP Johri told.

More powerful than liquor Mafia is Sand Mafia. All efforts to control it have failed. In the effort to control them many officers belonging to various departments have been killed. Those killed also include an IPS officer. Normally Sand mines located on banks of various rivers are auctioned. But those who won in the auction mine much more than they are entitled according to terms of the contract. By doing so they cause damage to rivers but also do theft of tax. It is a herculean task to control open daylight theft of Sand.

Neither Police nor revenue or mines department staff can control them. Therefore in many cases they watch this theft with closed eyes. In some cases some officers make sincere attempt to control illegal mining they have to face violent attacks and in some cases they sustain serious injuries or get killed.

The government has failed to restrain them because they enjoy patronage of powerful politicians. The vested interests also keep the officers in their payroll. The government has launched massive campaign against hardened criminals. In many cases such criminals are put behind the bar. In many cases houses owned by such alleged criminals are also demolished. (IPA Service)