At least 155 people have died in Assam’s Golaghat and Jorhat districts after consuming spurious alcohol last week, NDTV reported. Most victims are from Golaghat’s Khumtai region.
Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Khumtai, Mrinal Saikia, said 150 patients were undergoing treatment at the civil hospital in the district, while victims in critical condition have been moved to Jorhat Medical College.
Saikia alleged that excise department officials were working with illicit liquor traders, which made it difficult to curb the sale of spurious alcohol. Police have arrested at least 25 people, registered 100 cases and the excise department has seized around 15,000 litres of illicit liquor.
On treating alcohol poisoning, Saikia said it was not easy to treat once methyl alcohol enters the blood stream. “Doctors said it gives only half an hour window to administer the antidote to save the patient.” He said most people who had died of alcohol poisoning over the weekend had received treatment but could not be saved.
Senior district administration officer, Dhiren Hazarika, said the number of patients have reduced since Sunday afternoon.
Opposition disrupts Assembly session
Opposition leaders disrupted the Assam Assembly session on Monday, demanding that the Question Hour be suspended to discuss the liquor deaths, PTI reported.
Speaker Hitendra Goswami initially disallowed an adjournment notice and later extended the Question Hour, when legislators vowed to fight against illicit liquor sale and sought punishment for those responsible for the recent liquor deaths.
The Opposition Congress moved an adjournment motion, but the Speaker disallowed it following which Congress MLAs staged a walk out. The Speaker adjourned the House after legislators rushed to the Well of the House holding placards against the government.
When the House reassembled, the legislators discussed the liquor deaths for more than five hours.
Former BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad MLA Brindabon Goswami demanded that Assam be declared a dry state.
Congress MLA Ajanta Neog accused excise department officials of being aware of a nexus in the illicit liquor trade and demanded a complete ban on laligur, a form of molasses, used in manufacture of illicit country liquor, mechanism to stop production and sale of illicit liquor, and awareness drives.
Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said his department cannot control the sale of laligur as it falls under the purview of Food and Civil Supplies Department. He assured the Assembly that his department will strictly enforce excise laws to stop illegal manufacturing or trade of illicit liquor.
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