Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio addresses the plenary of the 5th session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on August 27. (DIPR photo)

• Advocates regulation instead of banning

• Requires collective thinking

Morung Express News
Kohima | 27 August

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio explained that the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989 was enacted to address the societal problems related to alcohol abuse and to cater to the circumstances of the time.

However, he noted that despite the fact that the law has been in force for over three decades, “its impact is visible to all of us. Looking back, we cannot say that it was successful.”

He found that while this policy was somewhat effective in rural areas, it was a significant failure in urban areas.

Rio stressed that efforts to ban alcohol have had unintended and often detrimental consequences, including the rise of the black market, an increase in criminal activities, including by syndicate suppliers, and the proliferation of counterfeit and poor-quality spirits.

He stressed that while the state government can regulate and restrict the sale and distribution of alcohol, it is not possible to completely prohibit individuals from drinking alcohol. This remains a “matter of personal choice and decision”.

He further explained that this problem is largely driven by supply and demand dynamics and that as long as people drink, there will be demand, which naturally leads to supply based on that demand.

Rio thanked the Church for its clear stance and concerns on the matter, mentioning that on such important public issues as this, the government consulted all segments of society before making any decisions.

However, he also stressed that simply blaming the state government will not improve the situation. Instead, a joint solution and the involvement of all parts of society are needed.

Rio noted that state authorities such as the police and customs cannot tackle this challenge alone. He stressed that an effective solution requires cooperation from all sectors – from families and communities to CSOs in general.

However, Rio pointed out that few people actually benefited from this system because the business went underground and the main beneficiaries were the black marketeers, while ordinary citizens largely suffered.

He referred to health problems resulting from alcohol abuse, pointing out that many people suffered from liver disease or alcohol-related complications due to substandard or adulterated liquor.

To support his statement, he cited examples such as 65 deaths in Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu in June 2024 due to consumption of illicit liquor, and a total of 947 deaths in 2020 and 782 deaths in 2021 in the country, according to sources in the Home Ministry.

Rio said regulation would allow for stricter quality measures and thereby reduce the number of health complications resulting from unsafe alcohol consumption.

Therefore, he suggested that instead of pointing fingers at each other, “it is time for us all to come together and think together so that we can tackle this problem together and decisively and free our society from the dangers of counterfeit and illegal alcohol.”

“Instead of judging each other, we should be open-minded and share views and contributions positively to make our community healthy and resilient,” he added.