Alcohol:HC pulls TN govt for not forming panel over WHO report

Taking strong exception to Tamil Nadu government not implementing its repeated orders on setting up a committee to go into a WHO report on containing alcoholism, the Madras government has warned that it would form the panel itself if the state failed to do so by June 15.
"We grant last opportunity to the authorities to constitute a committee by terms of reference. Otherwise we will have little choice but to do it ourselves. The cut off for doing so is fixed as June 15," the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh said.

It passed interim orders on Tuesday on a PIL by Advocates Forum for Social Justice seeking implementation WHO's Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2014.
The PIL submitted Tamil Nadu does not till date have a properly articulated policy on alcohol.
Pointing out the increase in the figures of Revenue that gained by the sale of alcohol each year, the PIL contended that the increase in the revenue from alcohol reflects its increase in sale.
"Liquor is sold without any concern towards the age of the people buying it," the PIL said.

Noting that the situation in the state is indeed dire and desperate one, as the problems associated with alcoholism are escalating to unknown proportions, the Forum said "unless affirmative action is taken, it will lead to further degradation of the health and morals of the society."

"Recognising this fact, the WHO has framed policies for dealing with alcoholism," the Forum said, adding the WHO reports show that the problems associated with alcoholism come down significantly when certain important steps are taken by the government in the right direction.
Since the report is by experts, it demands attention and implementation by the state, the forum prayed the court to direct the authorities concerned for constituting a committee to go through the WHO report and implement it.