Forum for toddy ban, claims no palm trees in 50km Hyderabad radius

HYDERABAD: Forum for Good Governance (FGG) has alleged that adulterated toddy is being sold in Hyderabad despite no palm trees in a 50-km radius of the city. FGG has asked the Telangana government to ban sale of toddy in the city.
FGG secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said: "Toddy policy of 2004-05 stipulated that toddy shop can be established only in such places where tappable toddy trees are available within 50-km distance.After formation of Telangana, the excise policy took U-turn and the government amended and deleted the 50-km distance clause.
Now, whether there is any toddy tree are not, a person (licence holder) can sell the intoxicant. There are close to 100 shops in Hyderabad alone selling adulterated toddy and people, especially from weaker sections, are consuming the adulterated toddy."
"Adulterated toddy with dangerous chemicals is rampant in Hyderabad city. Due to non availability of toddy trees in several parts of the state, the toddy sellers are resorting to preparation of synthetic toddy by adding water, urad dal paste, foaming and colouring agents, citric acid, etc. and mixing with obnoxious substances like chloral hydrate, diazepam, alprazolam for giving intoxication to the consumer.
When chloral hydrate is added in toddy it gets mixed up thoroughly and hence it cannot be differentiated from genuine toddy. Since the adulterated toddy gives higher intoxication, the consumer likes this adulterated stuff, which is very harmful to their health, even proving fatal," Reddy said. Since last couple of years, FGG has been requesting the prohibition and excise department to get the toddy (sold in market) chemically examined.