Lottery ban in K'taka; salvation, trouble 50-50

Mysore, Apr 1: The Karnataka Government's ban on the sale of lotteries, with effect from today, has dished out sweet news to the women folk, while administering a bitter pill to the lakhs of people involved in the trade.

The womenfolk, who had for long suffered because of their men's addiction and weakness to make a fast buck, heaved a sigh of relief that the Government had finally understood the consequences of the menace on lakhs of families.

But, on the flip side, the ban on the sale of lotteries in the State, as announced by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in the State budget, had made miserable the lives of over ten lakh people and their family members, for whom the lottery business fetched their daily meals.

Mysore District Lottery Business Association President H B Ranganath told UNI here that more than 1.5 lakh lottery shops and agencies had been in the business for many years. Besides, the system had indirectly helped over ten lakh people and their family members, engaged in the sale of lottery tickets. Now, all of them have been left to fend for themselves.

The State had recorded a daily turnover of about Rs 30 to Rs 40 crore through sale of lottery tickets, cashing in on the addiction of people. In Mysore district alone, Rs two crore worth business was done every day.

As soon as the ban was announced by the State Government on March 16, the business had nosedived and most of the lottery shops had downed shutters. Thrown out of their traditional business, they were searching for alternative business. While some of them had set up petty shops, some others have switched to sale of cigarettes near bus stands, cinemas and other public places. Worse was the predicament of the visually impaired, physically challenged and unemployed youths engaged in the sale.

According to the lottery business circles, a number of shop owners, who had invested lakhs of Rupees for purchasing or leasing electronic machines and lotto machines, were trying to either sell or return the machines to the lottery agencies to seek refund of the deposited money.

Arguing strongly against the ban, Mr Ranganath said the Government should not have taken such a hasty decision as it would affect the livelihood of those in the business.

Many lottery dealers, particularly in the rural areas, told this reporter that the Government could have slowed down the ban process on the lines of various States, where the ban was introduced in a phased manner so that the people involved in the business got enough time to change their activities.

Meanwhile, thousands of women, who had been cursing the Government for introducing lottery system which had ruined their lives, have thanked the Government for the bold decision.

Construction contractors and labour contractors have also expressed happiness over the ban as the labourers, earning Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day by toiling hard, would otherwise spend everything on lottery and go home empty handed.

UNI