With due humble submission, we the undersigned are citizens of Dimapur and request you to kindly publish an article in your esteemed daily referring to the subjective and unsuccessful implementation of the ban/prohibition of alcohol in Nagaland.
Here we would like the concerned officers and the State Government to take a serious notice to what is happening in our city.
Firstly we want them to stick to the notification that has been served earlier to the hotels and restaurants all around the city to close down at a specified time given by the Administration but we have been observing that many hotels and restaurants are found open till midnight even in the heart of the city and in these hubs we can get any kind of drinks (Alcohol) which are openly sold even in full view of the police patrolling parties.
We would like to raise question to the State Government, officials, NGOs, NSF and the church leaders who are fighting against it by saying Nagaland should be a dry state but if we observe and see the present situation, it has been a total failure. Further we see that in some brands of Alcohol a label reads (For sale in Nagaland only) so now who is taking the revenue. Is it the NGOs or the State Government? Is it because there is some link between the higher ups of the authorities concerned and those owning and running these liquor dens in the guise of food and cold drink hotels and restaurants just to mention some hotels (Kwality, Capital Hotel, Raj Palace, Raj deep Hotel, Seeru Punjab Hotel at Deluxe Point and AH road, etc) that are found in the city? In this case what is the use of imposing the ban of selling alcohols. It is better to lift the ban, as the prohibition is being implemented with a lopsided scale. As for those hotels that freely sell liquor we would like to know from the concerned authorities whether these hotels are issued special licenses. And for whose benefit? If such a special license is issued then why not issue the same to the hundreds of unemployed Naga youths who are living hand to mouth to make a better living, while those who are presently running this business (imported liquors, very often spurious) are mostly non-locals in the middle of city and they are the ones who go scot-free and laugh all the way to the bank!
We Nagas have a tradition of drinking local rice beer, and when some make a living out of brewing and selling local beer they are not spared from imposing heavy fines, punishment and manhandling by our very own brethren in uniforms and other NGOs. While the outsiders (read non-locals) are protected and given shelter by some corrupt governments officers and the police. Even our law enforcement personnel (police in their uniform) are often seen buying liquor in these hotels run by non-locals within the heart of the city.
We learn about alcohol being strictly checked and seized by the police manning the check points in other parts of the state, even to the extent of seizing from those who for personal consumption carry a bottle or two! Drinking is one’s personal choice and when one is unfortunate enough to be caught with a bottle or two then they are harassed and fined.
We are aware that most of our Naga drinkers rush down to neighboring Assam to purchase liquor or drink in the dhabas at Lahorijan area who are doing brisk business. It is time to seriously evaluate the situation and either impose the prohibition in totality or lift the prohibition. Partial prohibition is as good as no prohibition. It amounts to profiting of a few with powerful connections while the state loses huge revenue and a mockery is made out of Nagaland as a dry state.
As for the notification issued by the district administration on closure of hotel time given by the Administration we earnestly request the implementation of it equally to all hotels and that no partiality should be shown to selected hotels and restaurants. After all what is the use of issuing an order alone when it cannot be carried out impartially.
So it is our earnest request to the district administration, various NGOs and student bodies to look into this matter seriously for the betterment and upliftment of Nagaland.
Kahuto Sumi, Thecha Lotha, Tali Ao, Vikuzo Angami
Concerned citizens, Dimapur
