Explainer: What is spurious liquor
The death of 12 persons following consumption of spurious liquor at Majitha in Amritsar district is the latest in a series of such tragedies in the region. In 2020, over 120 persons died after consumption of spurious liquor in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts. Last year, 24 such deaths were reported in Sangrur.
No regulatory check
Illicit alcohol is produced without any regulatory oversight, with increased risk of safety, quality and adulteration issues. The attraction for the consumer is that it is priced much lower than the liquor sold in authorised vends.
Country liquor or ‘lahan’ is a solution usually made from fermented jaggery or molasses. This is mixed with different concoctions, including yeast extracted from local plants and fermented orange, apple or jamun, as well as water which is usually extracted from ponds or places without guarantee of quality.
Product safety is hugely compromised when this liquor is produced using dangerous components, particularly methanol.
Methanol risk
Adulteration of alcohol remains a huge concern. The problems usually stem from illegal methanol addition to alcoholic drinks.
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol is the key ingredient of alcoholic beverages. The presence of methyl alcohol or methanol, which is a cheaper option, can turn the concoction lethal.
According to the police, supplies of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), which is an ethanol grade of high purity, are pilfered by the liquor mafia mid-way in the supply routes.
In the Majitha tragedy, methanol procured online was used in the production of spurious liquor.
In certain cases, denatured spirit from the paint industry is also used for production of spurious liquor. After the liquor tragedy in 2020, a Ludhiana-based paint store, allegedly involved in the trade, confirmed supplying three drums of methanol which were used in production of the poisonous ‘desi daaru’.
It has also been found that producers of spurious liquor use organic waste, dead rodents, lizards and even battery acid.
What methanol does
When the liver starts to break methanol contents for digestion, toxic products are created. These severely attack the nervous system, leading to blindness and even irreversible coma.
Laws in place
Illicit liquor cases are tried under the amended Punjab Excise Act, 1914. The major offences include adulteration, possession of non-duty paid liquor, illicit manufacture, and mixing noxious substances with liquor.
The penalties include imprisonment and fines. Imprisonment could range between three and seven years. The fine can range between Rs 2-3 lakh. The punishment could be life imprisonment in case of death due to consumption of spurious liquor and a fine of Rs 10 lakh.
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