No plans to make Tripura dry state, says govt amid fight against alcohol and drug

TRIPURA: While promoting an addiction-free Tripura, the state's BJP-led Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) government made it clear on Monday that it has no ambitions to make the state dry.

In answer to a starred question from Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Sudhangshu Das, who questioned the efforts taken against illegal brewers, distributors, and stockists of alcoholic beverages, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Devvarma said.

In response to his queries, Devvarma stated that 2,776 people were detained in the state in the last three years for allegedly illegally making, selling, and stockpiling alcoholic beverages. He stated that there will be 1,150 arrests in 2019, 941 in 2020, and 685 last year.

Sudhan Das, a member of the opposition CPI(M), joined the debate and urged the administration not to give any additional foreign liquor licences. Other legislators cited instances of dry states and questioned the state government's drug and addiction strategy.

While urging everyone to work together to battle all types of drugs and addiction, Devvarma stated his administration has no plans to declare Tripura a dry state and that there is no scientific evidence to support the assumption that prohibiting the sale of alcohol will lower usage. He claims that prohibiting the commercial selling of alcohol has no bearing on its consumption.

Devvarma, who is also in charge of the finance portfolio in Biplab Deb's cabinet, stated that the government is continuing its efforts to combat such persons in order to maintain a healthy social life and avoid moral standards from being eroded.

Apart from efforts by the police and security personnel to stop the production and sale of illegal country liquor, he said the state police are conducting awareness programmes through 'Prayaas,' Tripura Police's own community outreach programme, to sensitise people about the harmful effects of country liquor.