Mourn the habit or short supply of liquor

CUTTACK: Amidst the mourning and keening in the vicinity of the helpline set up at the SCB Medical College and Hospital for handing over of the dead bodies of the victims after post-mortem, three women sat dazed. While people jostled with each other to get information on their deceased kin, the trio sat quietly among a group of women staring, in fact, at nothing. Junu Das, wife of Sura Das, Jampi and Bishnu Das, wives of Bhaskar Das, they identified themselves on prodding by some women social workers assisting the families of the victims. And, then they broke down. “Everything seems so dark now.  He died but has left me behind and five children. How will I raise the three young sons and two daughters,” Junu cried. Breaking into loud wails, Jhampi and Bishnu, mothers of one child each, hugged each other tight. Sura and Bhaskar were brothers and migrant labourers from Khallikote area in Ganjam district. They used to come to Cuttack district every year during December to work in the brick kilns in Sadar area and the bordering pockets of Khurda district. “On Monday night they returned as usual but soon began to complain of severe chest pain followed by vomiting. They then began to flail around on the floor,” the women said.Sanjeev Kumar Das, the brother-in-law of Sukant Rout of Brahmanjharilo, who waited at the helpline to receive the body said, “He was not a habitual drinker and consumed liquor now and then. People say he consumed something as substitute for liquor,” Das said.The recent short supply of country liquor had led the people to consume Orange Tincture BP or Epeecarm syrups with high alcohol content as a substitute. “The molasses brewing tank at the Aska country spirit unit had burst which affected supply of liquor to Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur districts. With liquor becoming scarce and unscrupulous elements pumping in the hazardous substitutes at very cheap prices, people went for the latter and the consequences are for everyone to see,” says Excise Superintendent PK Patnaik.The district administration and Excise Department have started house-to-house contact in villages of the affected belt. “We have deployed five ambulances along with a team of doctors to screen the entire region,” Collector Girish SN said.The Drug administration has also been instructed for thorough check of all medicine shops and stockists of Cuttack city and the district and seize all such materials.