Federation urges TN govt to lift ban on tapping toddy

Chennai, Sep 10 (UNI) Members of the Kongu Vellalar Gounder Peravai and the Federation of Kongu Vellalar Association today staged a demonstration urging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to lift the ban on tapping toddy from coconut and palm trees.

The demonstration, held in front of the State Government Guest House, was led by Federation General Secretary Aranga Durairaj and Peravai General Secretary E R Eswaran.

Addressing the agitators, they said at a time when there was no prohibition in the State, the ban on tapping of toddy, imposed about two decades ago, was not justified.

The government should consider the interests of lakhs of workers involved in tapping of toddy and lift the ban immeditely.

''When the government is selling IMFL and liquors, which contained about 30 per cent alcohol, through TASMAC shops, why it should not allow drawal of toddy that contained only six to seven per cent alcohol,'' they asked and urged the government to immediately lift the ban.

''By not lifting the ban, the government was only supporting the liquor barons and IMFL manufacturers,'' they alleged.

UNI