We must not be in denial over drug abuse, illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu, says Governor

Governor R.N. Ravi expresses concern over rampant drug abuse and illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu, urging enforcement to act.

Governor R.N. Ravi on Tuesday expressed his dissatisfaction with the “denial mode” in Tamil Nadu over the “rampant” issue of drug abuse and illicit liquor, which recently killed 59 persons in Kallakurichi district. He also wondered whether there was “connivance”, as denial cannot be without a purpose.

Launching a national awareness campaign on drug abuse and illicit trafficking at the Raj Bhavan, Mr. Ravi said “countless” parents had requested him to raise the issue of drug abuse in high schools and colleges. “They have requested me to do something as the issue was rampant. Unfortunately, we have been in denial mode. We have been saying that there is no drug here,” Mr. Ravi said, and added that whenever he made inquiries, he was informed that there was no menace of synthetic or semi-synthetic drugs in Tamil Nadu.

Referring to newspaper reports during the past six months and “bulk” seizures by Central agencies from “different parts of the State”, Mr. Ravi pointed out that parents flagged rampant drug abuse and yet law enforcement agencies were not aware of it. “This is very serious. We must not be in denial mode. Are the drugs coming from outside or are they being made here,” he asked.

“If one denies a problem, the problem would get even more complicated. If an advanced State like ours does not address this problem, then, I think, we are not being fair to our people, and the future is very insecure,” he added.

“Whenever deaths over illicit liquor are reported, there is a hue and cry and more than lakhs of litres of illicit arrack is seized. But, things soon go back to the way they were. This is not acceptable. Is there connivance? Because denial cannot be without a purpose. We cannot play with the lives of our people.”

In this “game”, Mr. Ravi said there were two sides — demand and supply. “If supply is not restricted or stopped, there will be demand. If you have drugs available, there will be people who buy it. The supply side has to be controlled by the enforcement. If we do not address the supply side of the problem, people will keep dying. Every time, something happens, we will make noise but things will settle down soon and the business will go back to usual,” he said.

The Governor also sought to know the details of those arrested in connection with illicit liquor.