Flow of spurious liquor, drugs in the border State of Punjab will ‘finish off’ the youth and then the country, says Supreme Court

‘Illegal liquor and its transportation have to be curbed. It has to be stopped,’ Bench headed by Justice M.R. Shah told the Punjab Government

Unbridled flow of drugs and spurious liquor will “finish off” the youth of the border State of Punjab and then the entire country, the Supreme Court warned the Punjab Government on Monday.

The court said the State has to issue circulars making the local police responsible for the presence of units making spurious liquor.

“Consumption of drugs is increasing… The youth will be finished. If somebody wants to finish off the country… This is a border State. Every action has to be taken or it will be very easy to finish the youth by drugs and liquor, and then the country,” Justice M.R. Shah, heading a Bench comprising Justice C.T. Ravikumar, addressed the Punjab Government, represented by senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha.

Mr. Sinha acknowledged the situation was “alarming” and asked the court to indicate its oral observations in the order.

To this, the Bench retorted that the government was running the State and not the court.

“Stringent action has to be taken. Over 34000 FIRs (First Information Report) have been registered in two years… but only FIRs are filed. What about charge-sheets? Illegal liquor and its transportation have to be curbed. It has to be stopped,” Justice Shah observed.

The court said poor people suffer and it was they who died, and not affluent persons who consume branded liquor for “fun”.