Small Nepal towns bordering Sitamarhi register rise in liquor trade

Arun Lata Sharma

Sitamarhi : Nepal’s small towns bordering Sitamarhi district in North Bihar have recorded three to four time increase in liquor trade after Bihar Government enforced complete Prohibition on April 5, 2016, thanks to open international border and smugglers. The 125 km northern part of Sitamarhi district borders Nepal where liquor consumption is allowed and rampant.

The people in Sitamarhi district feel the Prohibition is only 60-70 percent successful in the district though women are very happy with ban on liquor sale and consumption. The aged parents too have have heaved a sigh of relief.

The liquor de- addiction centre located on Sadar Hospital, Sitamarhi, campus has treated less than hundred real addicts. The prohibition has caused loss of revenue though to the government. A few hundred district residents are always languishing in jail after implementation of prohibition. Sometime the faulty breath analysers are posing problems to teetotallers while crossing border. Some local politicians fear the impact may be seen in 2019 elections.