Sinhala and Tamil new year: a celebration to “Bacchus”?

Deputy Director of National Hospital, Dr. Rani Fernando said a majority of incidents reported during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year were caused due to the consumption of alcohol. Eight deaths and 643 injuries were reported to the accident service on April 13, 14 and 15 this year, compared to five deaths and 503 injuries reported last year. The number of cases reported under inter-personal violence increased drastically from 36 in 2007 to 134 this year, while 185 were admitted due to road accidents.

According to Dr. Fernando the number of assault and road accidents during the festive season this year increased compared to incidents reported last year. “Almost all of these incidents are liquor- related”, she said, adding that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year had turned into a festival celebrated with alcohol.

She said though the public often complained of the rising cost of living, they somehow found money to purchase alcohol and even host drinking parties.“Bars serving alcohol should be closed for at least a week during the Avurudu season. Closing bars only on the 13th and 14th is of no purpose” she said, as most of the people purchase liquor a few days earlier.

She charged that people spend their entire salary advance which is made available on liquor and did not have resources to celebrate Vesak. Director of the Accident Service at the National Hospital, Dr. Anil Jasinghe confirmed there had been a rise in evening and night admissions to the hospital, almost all of which had been caused by alcohol related activities.

“The number of injuries due to violence was definitely caused due to consumption alcohol. By general observation one could see that most of the patients were under the influence of alcohol. He said hospital authorities noticed that that ninety percent of the causalities were males”.

During this New Year season, the Excise Department made 1,904 arrests and raided 1,865 bars engaged in the illicit sale of alcohol. The Commissioner General of the department, D.G.M.V. Hapuarachchi said a network of spots between Ja-ela to Chilaw existed which controlled the production and distribution of illicit liquor throughout the country.

He said there had been a clear increase in the consumption of illicit liquor. Though around 1,000 officers had been assigned to conduct raids, it had proved to be an exercise in futility because of the involvement of influential and powerful politicians.