Alcoholism - before and after tsunami

J. Dinakarlal Thavomony

The tsunami attack on the coast of the Indian peninsula on 26 December, 2004 has had a devastating and shocking effect on all spheres of life. This has jeopardized the life, economy, peace and livelihood of those living on the coastline, especially the fishing communities. The worst affected are Nagai, Cudalore and Kanyakumari Districts of the State of Tamilnadu.

Though rescue operations were not that easily possible, due to the lack of preparedness, the force and power of the tsunami waves and the threat of recurrence, people all over the world were generous in rushing quick, spontaneous and liberal humanitarian assistance for relief operations. The huge loss suffered by the people cannot be amply compensated. Their derailed life with the loss of fishing gear kept on the shores and the present fear they have for the sea, have made fishing almost an impossible activity. The Government of India and the State Government of Tamilnadu came out with compensations for the loss of life, property and livelihood and NGOs and relief agencies all over the world supplemented Government’s operations with sumptuous relief materials.

At the time the Government of Tamilnadu gave cash relief to the affected victims in two installments, a total of five thousand rupees per family besides the compensation for the loss of life and property.

Besides the money, the Government also gave sufficient quantity of rice and basic household articles. The affected families received from generous NGOs and international charitable organizations copious supply of dress, vessels, toilet items, baby food, water storage vessels etc. A day after the Government gave the first installment of cash as relief, it ordered closure of 19 liquor shops close to the coastal belt. (In the State of Tamilnadu all liquor shops are run by the Government owned Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation. In the District there are 150 liquor shops with a total sales of Rupees 5000000 to Rupees 7000000 per day on an average.) The reason behind this was that the money given by the Government as relief was used by men for purchasing alcohol and this led to a lot of confusions, including shortage of liquor in the shops leading to fights with the sales persons and frequent drunken brawls.

In the light of this, one has to look into the issue of alcohol abuse in the fishing hamlets of Kanyakumari District, which is known for the excessive use of alcohol, with 87.1% men using alcohol and 56.27% income of men of the fishing community spent on liquor. Some of the questions that arose: Has alcohol consumption in the coastal fishing hamlets increased after tsunami? Was the major portion of money given as relief spent on alcohol, thereby defeating the very purpose of relief? If this is true, can any meaningful and effective rehabilitative measures be undertaken?

How can we justify the waste of money collected from various sources throughout the world from people who have humanitarian concern for the fellow sufferers? Or should we ignore it saying that it is not a case of abuse of alcohol, but rather a use of it to tide over the agonies consequent to loss of life and properties? Before we answer any of these questions we should have a look at the damage suffered in this District due to the tsunami and also at the data on alcohol consumption before and after the tsunami.

Kanyakumari District with 68 kilometres of coastline had 846 tsunami deaths in the fishing hamlet; 5257 houses, 402 fibre boats, 1423 country boats, 6892 catamarans and 24385 fishing nets were destroyed, leaving many injured and 106 persons missing. It is estimated that this District suffered a loss of Rs.261.776 crores. The worst affected fishing hamlets are Colachel, Kottilpadu, Pillaithope, Azhikkal, Melamanakudi and Keelamanakudi.

To understand the problem of alcoholism after the tsunami a study was conducted in the six worst affected fishing hamlets. 76.8% of the men interviewed were in the habit of consuming alcohol. They said that they were spending 604 rupees per week on an average on alcohol before the tsunami. They claim that, as tsunami has jeopardized fishing activities, they are not able to spend that much on alcohol now, and according to their statement the average amount spent on liquor now works out to 419 rupees per week. Their contention is that, now they spend on alcohol only 69.26% of the amount they were earlier spending. According to the data collected, 17.14% persons show no difference in the consumption of liquor after tsunami. 8.57% have increased and 74.29% have decreased consumption.

Men in these fishing hamlets agreed that they used the relief money given by the government to purchase alcohol. Out of the sample interviewed, 14.28% spent 1 to 20 % of the relief money on alcohol; 51.42% spent 21 to 40% and 25.71% spent 41 to 60%. Whilst 5.71% admitted to have spent 61 to 80% of the relief money on alcohol, 2.85 % spent the entire relief amount on alcohol.

Though incidents of tsunami victims selling relief materials to buy alcohol are reported, none of the victims interviewed said that they sold relief materials.

Visit to the tsunami affected hamlets, especially at night, does not show any sign of reduction in alcohol consumption as claimed by the victims. Some of the victims interviewed claim that in the absence of fishing activity, they don’t get any money to buy liquor. Hence a study was conducted in four shops close to the worst affected hamlets Colachel and Kottilpadu. The sales in these shops in the months of November and December, 2004 and January and February, 2005 show that there is an increase in the sales in three shops. This disproves the claim of the victims that there is a decrease in the consumption of liquor after tsunami.

Due to violence and riot Shop Nos. 4805, 4806 and 4807 were closed down well before the dusk on 31 December, 2004, just five days after tsunami and the day the victims got the first installment of relief money. A comparison between sales on Christmas and New Year Eves in Shop No. 4804 shows that tsunami has not affected the sale of alcohol, instead, the relief money has increased the sales.

What do these data point at? Let us not be judgmental and point our accusing finger saying that the relief money has only helped in increasing the consumption of alcohol. Every victim has a sad story to narrate and a justification to give in using alcohol as a coping mechanism.

What should be the concern of one who is involved in the fight against alcohol and what is the lesson that has to be learnt? A lot of effort is to be put in to bring about reduction in the consumption of alcohol by men in the coastal fishing hamlets if any effective developmental activity is to take place. The Government and international organizations like the WHO has to look into the health of the tsunami victims, with a focus especially on alcohol induced diseases. It must also be reiterated here that unless the international charitable and relief organizations that have come forward to undertake relief and rehabilitation work, address themselves to the issue of alcoholism in the tsunami affected fishing hamlets of Kanyakumari District of the State of Tamilnadu, their attempts to mitigate the sufferings of the victims through humanitarian aid, will not bear the desired fruit.

The State Government earns good revenue through sales of liquor and so it has the responsibility of taking care of the health needs of the people, especially diseases caused by alcohol. The liquor policy should be looked into and a part of the revenue should be set apart for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. International organizations and charitable institutions in the West should keep a part of the relief money intended for tsunami victims to fight against alcoholism. Setting up counseling centres, and treatment centres for alcoholics of the coastal area will go a long way in rehabilitating the tsunami victims.