Madras High Court Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Kallakurichi Hooch Tragedy, Says Poor Economy Forced Manufacture Of Illicit Liquor

The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan noted that poverty and want of livelihood had forced men and women of the region to resort to the manufacture of illicit arrack. The court added that the issue had to be dealt with at the earliest and comprehensive measures be undertaken for the economic and social welfare of the people in the region.

“The economic underdevelopment faced by the people in Kalvarayan hills must not give space for miscreants to exploit their sufferings by pushing them into illicit liquor business. This is an issue that needs to be dealt with at the earliest and all comprehensive measures for the economic and social upliftment of the people in this region, is a Constitutional priority. It is for all concern to ensure that the Constitutional mandates, directives, principles and views are not only honoured, but implemented in its letter and spirit,” the court observed.

The court thus decided to initiate suo motu proceedings against the Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu; The Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department; the Director General of Police; The District Collector, Kallakurichi; The District Collector, Salem; The Superintendent of Police, Kallakurichi and the Superintendent of Police, Salem District. The court directed the registry to implead the authorities as the respondents and to place the matter before the Acting Chief Justice for appropriate orders.

The court noted that the recent interview of Senior Advocate MR Tamilmani had prompted the court to initiate the suo motu proceedings to protect the socio-economic status of the downtrodden Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities residing in the Kalvarayan hills.

Tracing the history of the place, the court observed that the first-ever election in the place was held in 1996 only. The court remarked that there were no welfare activities like schools, roads, hospitals, employment opportunities, and no police station in the place. The court added that the lack of growth in the area had prompted the people to engage in the illicit business.

The court added that immediate action needed to be taken to ensure that people of the region had access to basic facilities and welfare schemes and the Government should take all steps to bolster the economic situation in the region to prevent any further crimes.

The court emphasized that the fundamental right to life of the people in the area, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution must be exercised to the fullest. The court added that Article 21 included a wide array of rights including the right to economic empowerment of the poor, disadvantaged, and oppressed, the right to health, the right to livelihood, the right to live with human dignity, and the right to social and economic justice.