Berhampur: Following the death of two persons after consuming spurious liquor in Ganjam district’s Chikiti, villagers on Wednesday said they have been opposing the sale of illicit liquor in their area since 2021 and had even submitted a memorandum to the excise superintendent, requesting the authorities not to open a liquor shop in their locality. “The district administration, however, turned a deaf ear to our demands and the illicit liquor business continued to thrive in the area, ultimately leading to the recent tragedy,” said a villager who showed the letter that was submitted to the excise superintendent in February 2021.
As many as 20 people across several villages in Chikiti fell sick after consuming spurious liquor on Monday.Of the 20, 13 are currently hospitalised. Prabina Kumar Pradhan, a resident of Karabalua village, believes that if the excise department had taken appropriate measures based on the villagers’ request, the tragedy could have been averted. Other villagers also pointed out that country-made liquor was being sold illegally in the area without any action from the authorities.
N Dambaru Reddy, a former zilla parishad member, said the illegal sale of country-made liquor is not limited to Chikiti area alone, but is prevalent throughout Ganjam. He accused the excise personnel of not taking any action against those involved in the illegal liquor trade.
He added that several people in the district had lost their lives due to the consumption of liquor, with some major hooch tragedies taking place in the district over the past several years. He demanded a complete prohibition on liquor in the district.
According to sources, the district has witnessed several major hooch tragedies, including one in Nua Golabandha on February 15, 2013, where one person died and 14 others fell ill. Another in Golabandha in April 2006 where 12 people died and 39 others fell ill, one in the Humma-Ganjam area in March 2005 where over 30 persons died and several fell sick and another in Purushottampur in August 1994 where four persons had died.
Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, the excise superintendent of Berhampur, said they have been conducting regular raids to crack down on the illegal sale of liquor. “Last month, we had detained one Bapuni Sahu of Maoundpur, but the villagers had requested his release, assuring that he would not be involved in illegal sale of liquor. However, Sahu is now an accused in the latest case in Chikiti and has been arrested, along with five others, during a joint raid by the excise department and the police.”