JIRIBAM, March 18: Though the state has the tag of a ‘Dry State”, Indian Foreign Liquor amongst other intoxicants and contraband drugs are reportedly found in abundance in the Jiribam Sub Division under Imphal East district.
Intoxicants and contraband drugs like IFL, Spasmo Proxyvon tablets, Corex cough syrup and Tossex are found readily and being used by the youths and adults alike in the sub division which also borders Assam.
There is a general apprehension amongst the general public on whether the pharmacists and druggists in the sub-division are involved in the selling of such drugs to the youth to earn some quick money.
Certain sections of the public have started questioning the very existence of the Excise department in the sub-division querying on the relevance and functioning of the department in the sub-division.
Most hotels in the sub-division are selling Indian Foreign Liquor openly. What is amusing is that there are also reports that hotels which are located just about 50 meters from the Jiribam Police Station on the east draw more customers.
There is no clear answer on how the intoxicants and contraband drugs are reaching Jiribam.
A pharmacist in Jiribam while declaring that pharmacists in the sub-division do not provide the drugs without a valid prescription from doctors, said Spasmo Proxyvon tablets and the other drugs are brought in from Jirighat, Assam.
Pharmacists in Jirighat were fast to take the blame and said they only provide it for medicinal use and not as intoxicants. However, they added that there are not much buyers of the drugs from Jirighat and most buyers are from Jiribam side.
A pharmacist in Jiribam on condition of anonymity has said that the drugs are found easily in the sub-division.
Meanwhile, a drug user who did not want to reveal his identity said that the drugs are found near Jiribam and a strip of SP cost around Rs 50-60 while a bottle of Corex cough syrup comes at a price of Rs 80 to Rs 100. He however denied the request to disclose the exact location where the drugs are being sold.
While questioning presence of Excise department in Jiribam, certain individuals have quipped that the employees of the department are more concerned with taking money from ganja traffickers who take out ganja from the state.
The individuals further added that in case the department starts taking its duty seriously than the income of the state government could be increased manifold.
Controlling the sale of IFL in Jiribam sub-division will be next to impossible as the neighbouring Assam is not a `dry state` and there are licensed liquor venders in Jirighat, Assam.
However people have expressed hope that the government will bring in proper awareness campaigns and policies to check the sale and consumption of alcohol in the sub division.