Kohima: The contentious issue of lifting the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989, was discussed on Tuesday during the first day of the monsoon session of the ongoing Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Advisor of Food and Civil Supplies and Legal Metrology KT Sukhalu, advocating for lifting of the NLTP Act, stated that the three-decade-old law has failed in its objectives.
Speaking on the matter, Sukhalu questioned whether Nagas truly live as Christians in their private lives and highlighted the widespread availability of illegal liquor in the state.
Sukhalu pointed out that despite the ban, illegal liquor shops have proliferated across Nagaland, including remote areas along the Nagaland-Myanmar border. He warned that the prohibition has led to the circulation of spurious liquor, posing serious health risks to the people.
Drawing a parallel with Mizoram, Sukhalu argued that Nagaland should take a hard look at the NLTP Act.
34 years, he said, is enough time for Naga society to understand the repercussions of this law, emphasising the need for a pragmatic approach to address the issue.
Advisor of Excise, Labour & Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Moatoshi Longkumer, who raised the topic for discussion on health hazards of spurious liquor, said that the success of the NLTP Act of 1989 has been widely deemed impaired.
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One of the major impediment on the effective implementation of the Act, he said, is mainly due to porous border of Nagaland that shares with Assam (512.10 kms) which made it impossible to be guarded against smuggling by any law enforcement agencies of the state whether Nagaland police or the Excise it personnel of the state.
“There are not less than 19 bonded warehouse and distilleries in the bordering state of Assam, taking advantage of its proximity with Dimapur, townships like Lahorijan, Khatkati, Assam have based their economy on liquor supply to the state,” he said.
He further admitted that an effective enforcement of the Act is not possible with the meager 336 Nagaland Excise personnel for the entire state coupled with outdated fire Arms of 303 Rifles and shortage of motor vehicles for mobility.
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