Hooch Tragedies in India

• 19 May 2025

For Prelims: Methanol, Athanol, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Geographic Information System, National Health Mission 

For Mains: Effect of Spurious Liquor on the Human Body, Pros and Cons of Liquor Ban, Government Policies & Interventions. 

Source:IE 

Why in News? 

A major hooch tragedy in Punjab’s Amritsar district has claimed 21 lives and left several hospitalised after the consumption of spurious liquor suspected to contain methanol, a highly toxic chemical. 

Note:  Hooch refers to poor-quality, often illicitly produced alcohol, a term derived from the Hoochinoo tribe of Alaska known for brewing strong liquor.  

• It is typically made in unregulated and unhygienic conditions. Sometimes, hooch contains a high quantity of methanol (an industrial alcohol along with ethanol), which is highly toxic and can be fatal when consumed. 

What is Methanol? 

• About: Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, or wood spirit, is the simplest alcohol, with the chemical formula CH₃OH.  
  • Methanol is a colorless, volatile liquid with a faintly sweet pungent odor and is completely miscible with water.  
• Applications: It serves as a solvent in paints, varnishes, and plastics. It is a key raw material in the production of formaldehyde, acetic acid, and various aromatic hydrocarbons.  
  • Methanol also functions as an antifreeze agent and fuel additive, helping remove water from automotive and aviation fuels.  
  • Additionally, it is gaining prominence as a biodegradable energy resource in sustainable energy applications. 
• Impact on Human Body: Methanol is highly toxic to humans, especially if ingested. It breaks down into formic acid in the liver, causing metabolic acidosis and lowering blood pH.  
  • This disrupts oxygen use in cells, leading to organ damage. Methanol can also harm the optic nerve, causing blindness, and may result in brain swelling or bleeding, which can lead to coma or death. 
• Regulatory Framework: The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations 2018 set maximum methanol limits in liquors to ensure safety and quality. 
  • Methanol is listed under Schedule I of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989. 
  • The Indian Standard IS 517 provides specifications for determining methanol quality. 

                 

What are the Causes of Hooch Tragedies in India? 

• Economic Vulnerability and Poverty: People from economically weaker sections often resort to cheap, locally brewed alcohol (hooch) as they cannot afford licensed, quality liquor. 
  • The cost of hooch is significantly lower than legal alcohol due to evasion of excise duty and taxes. 
• Widespread Misuse of Methanol: Methanol, an inexpensive industrial chemical, is often stolen and illegally added to illicit liquor to increase potency, despite its extreme toxicity. Bootleggers frequently use methanol to produce deadly hooch, as seen in several mass poisoning cases. 
• Lack of Regulation and Enforcement: Despite the Excise Act, 1944 and local regulations, enforcement is often weak, allowing illegal brewing and distribution to flourish. 
  • In states with alcohol prohibition (e.g., Bihar, Gujarat), hooch networks expand underground, exploiting weak enforcement. 
  • Methyl alcohol is not categorised as a "poison" under the definition provided in the Poison Act, 1919, thereby limiting the scope of legal culpability.  
    • This legal gap complicates the prosecution of such cases and highlights the need for legislative reform. 
• Political and Bureaucratic Nexus: There are frequent allegations of political protection and bureaucratic involvement in illegal liquor trade. 
  • Political connections sometimes provide immunity to hooch manufacturers, preventing law enforcement action. Bribery and corruption further allow bootleggers to operate without fear of police intervention. 
• Lack of Awareness and Social Stigma: In rural and semi-urban areas, there is a lack of awareness about the dangers of consuming unregulated alcohol. 
  • Social stigma around alcoholism also prevents people from seeking medical help when symptoms of poisoning appear. 
• Absence of Community Reporting Mechanisms: Fear of local liquor mafias prevents communities from reporting illegal hooch production. 
  • There is often no structured system to anonymously report bootlegging activities to authorities. 
• Flaws in Supply Chain Monitoring: Lack of digital tracking and surveillance of raw materials like methanol allows for unchecked distribution. 
  • Absence of real-time tracking mechanisms makes it difficult to identify illegal distilleries. 
• Case Studies of Major Hooch Tragedies in India: 
  • Mumbai (2015): A hooch tragedy killed around 100 people in Malwani due to methanol poisoning. 
  • Punjab (2020): More than 100  people died after consuming adulterated liquor in multiple districts. 
  • Bihar (2022): Despite prohibition, 40 people lost their lives in Saran due to spurious liquor consumption. 
  • Tamil Nadu (2024): A severe illicit liquor tragedy in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, caused over 50  deaths. 

Legal Measures to Prevent Hooch 

• Excise Act, 1944 regulates the production and distribution of alcohol, including penalties for illegal manufacturing. 
• States like Bihar, and Gujarat have complete prohibition, yet hooch incidents still occur. 
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 includes specific sections like 103 (murder) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) for hooch-related deaths. 
• Alcohol regulation is under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, specifically the State List, granting states exclusive power to legislate on its production, sale, and distribution. Therefore, alcohol laws vary across states. 

What Measures are Needed to Prevent Hooch Tragedies? 

• Effective Enforcement and Monitoring: Initiatives like Operation Moonshine (conducted in Kochi, Kerala)  show the success of coordinated raids and monitoring by excise, police, and forest departments.  
  • Launch a Centralized Methanol Tracking Portal under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to monitor methanol production, sale, and transportation. 
    • Use blockchain technology to create an immutable ledger of methanol supply chains, preventing diversion to illicit alcohol production. 
  • Employing digital tools such as GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping for identifying illegal brewing hotspots, and CCTV surveillance can improve enforcement efficacy. 
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Under the National Health Mission (NHM), launch focused IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) campaigns in vulnerable regions educating on dangers of spurious liquor and methanol poisoning.: 
  • Panchayats, religious leaders, and SHGs (Self-Help Groups) can be mobilized to discourage consumption and report illegal brewing. 
• Access to Affordable, Quality-Controlled Alcohol: Rationalizing taxation and ensuring availability of safe, regulated alcohol can reduce demand for spurious liquor. 
• Socio-Economic Support and Alternative Livelihoods: Integrate affected communities into skill development programs under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) to reduce economic dependence on illicit liquor consumption or production. 
  • Provide educational scholarships and health insurance to children of hooch victims. 
• Accountability of Police and Excise Officials: Institutionalize a Performance Audit system for police and excise departments with clear benchmarks related to curbing illicit liquor trade. 
  • Enforce strict disciplinary actions, including suspension and prosecution, for officials found negligent or complicit. 
• International Guidelines and Best Practices: The WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (2010) advocates for controlling availability, reducing demand through pricing policies, and preventing illicit alcohol production. 
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.5 emphasize strengthening prevention and treatment of substance abuse. 

Conclusion 

Recurring hooch tragedies in India reflect deeper socio-economic and governance failures. The Amritsar incident highlights the urgent need for a coordinated approach involving strict regulation, public awareness, enforcement accountability, and community engagement to break the cycle of poverty, profiteering, and neglect fueling the illicit liquor trade. 

Drishti Mains Question:

Methanol poisoning in hooch tragedies has emerged as a major public health crisis. What preventive mechanisms can be institutionalized to address this?

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims:

Q. Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics? (2021)

(a) Low-density polyethylene 

(b) Polycarbonate 

(c) Polyethylene terephthalate 

(d) Polyvinyl chloride 

Answer: (b) 

Q. ‘Triclosan’, considered harmful when exposed to high levels for a long time, is most likely present in which of the following? (2021)

(a) Food preservatives 

(b) Fruit-ripening substances 

(c) Reused plastic containers 

(d) Toiletries 

Answer: (d)