With many villagers losing jobs during the lockdown in the last two months, many families from the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Backward Castes communities have begun making and selling arrack in tribal hamlets and island villages in Krishna district to eke out a living.
Illicitly distilled (ID) liquor business, which was limited to some hamlets and Girijana thandas, has spread to many other villages as the demand for arrack rose due to the ban on liquor during the lockdown.
“One person used to earn ₹400 in a day by doing some manual labour, agriculture or construction work in villages. In the wake of COVID-19, the government prohibited the sale of liquor and all outlets were closed since March 22. As many people depended on arrack, the demand for ID liquor manufacturing and selling has become a good source of income for many families,” said a woman named Mangi of Chinna Thanda in Krishna district.
Another factor behind the rise in demand for arrack has been the government’s decision to hike the prices of liquor by 70%. Unable to buy IMFL and other brands at high rates, tipplers have switched to arrack in villages, locals said.
“We depend on agriculture for a living. Normally, we go for red chilly plucking every year in border villages. But there was no transportation and no work due to the lockdown this year and we are unable to feed our families,” said Daravathu Bujji of Kanimerla Thanda.
Some tipplers who were addicted to liquor drank alcohol-based sanitisers in a fit of desperation and were hospitalised. Two persons died after drinking a chemical at Tanuku in West Godavari district during the lockdown, and five died in a similar incident at Visakhapatnam a couple of days ago.
“As there were no liquor sales during the lockdown, ID liquor sellers transported the arrack on boats, two-wheelers and other means of transport to West Godavari, neighbouring Khammam and Kothagudem-Bhadradri districts in Telangana State. In some hamlets, villagers sold arrack at ₹1,000 a litre,” said a villager named K. Venkanna.
SEB and police teams unearthed many arrack brewing units at Bantumilli, Kruthivennu, Mylavaram, Jeelugumilli, Chatrai, Gampalagudem, Reddygudem, Vissannapeta, Tiruvuru, Machilipatnam Rural and other mandals post lockdown.
“Almost all the persons in the families, including women, will engage in manufacturing arrack and fermented jaggery wash. They will maintain stocks of methyl alcohol, spirit, jaggery and other other chemicals to prepare ID liquor. Children and women will sell at their homes and at some points and transport the liquor sachets to other villages,” said a liquor trader named Bhukya Ramadevi.
The ID liquor business is thriving in more than 300 villages in Krishna, West Godavari and other districts. Due to the lockdown, closure of liquor shops and lack of livelihood, arrack manufacturers have doubled and are making good business, an Excise official said.
Officials of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), police and the Prohibition and Excise officials conducted raids on many hamlets and destroyed ID liquor manufacturing ‘battis’, damaged the stocks and recovered the material at many places in the last few days.