The death toll increased to 22 people after consuming illicit liquor in Bihar.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced that the families of the 21 people who died in the recent hooch tragedy in the state will receive an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakhs. However, the chief minister has also made it clear that the families will only receive the payment if they agree to give up any claims for further compensation or legal action.
The Hooch tragedy occurred in the Champaran district of Bihar on April 14, 2024. A local bootlegger had allegedly sold a batch of spurious liquor, which led to the deaths of 21 people and left many others seriously ill. The incident sparked outrage among the people of Bihar, who demanded that the state government take action against those responsible and provide compensation to the victims’ families.
The Bihar government initially announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for each of the victims’ families. However, the chief minister has now doubled the amount to ₹4 lakh. In a statement to the media, Nitish Kumar said, “We understand the pain and suffering of the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. That is why we have decided to increase the ex gratia payment to ₹4 lakh. We hope that this will provide some solace to the families in their time of grief.”
However, the chief minister also added a condition to the ex gratia payment. He said that the families would only receive the money if they agreed to waive their right to file any further claims for compensation or take legal action against the government or any other party. This condition has drawn criticism from some quarters, with many arguing that it is unfair to ask the families to give up their legal rights in exchange for the ex gratia payment.
The chief minister defended the decision, saying that it was meant to ensure that the families received the compensation as quickly as possible. He said, “We want to avoid a long drawn-out legal battle, which could take years to resolve. By offering the ex gratia payment with this condition, we are able to provide immediate relief to the families. If they choose to pursue legal action later, that is their right, but we are hoping that this will help them in the short term.”
The chief minister’s announcement has also sparked a debate about the larger issue of alcohol prohibition in Bihar. The state has been under a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol since 2016, and many have criticized the ban for leading to the rise of bootlegging and the sale of spurious liquor. Some have called for a rethinking of the prohibition policy, arguing that it is not working and is causing more harm than good.
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The chief minister has defended the prohibition policy, saying that it is aimed at reducing the harm caused by alcohol to individuals and society. He said, “Alcohol has been a major cause of social and health problems in Bihar for many years. We believe that the prohibition policy is a step in the right direction, and we are committed to enforcing it strictly. However, incidents like the hooch tragedy remind us that we need to do more to curb the illegal sale of liquor.”
The hooch tragedy has once again brought to the forefront the issue of illegal alcohol sales in Bihar. The state government has promised to take strict action against those responsible for the incident, and the police have already arrested several people in connection with the case. However, the larger question of how to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future remains unresolved.
In the meantime, the families of the victims are left to mourn their loved ones and grapple with the trauma of the tragedy. The ex gratia payment from the government may provide some financial relief, but it cannot make up for the loss of life and the pain that the families are experiencing. As the state and the country
