AP government's toxic liquor is killing people: TDP

Amaravati: TDP leaders and experts slammed the YSRCP government for selling spurious liquor that was killing the people of Andhra Pradesh. On 25 June, they released lab reports that they claimed were proof that there were toxic chemicals in the liquor being sold in the state.

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy did not keep his promise of phased prohibition and is playing a dangerous game with the lives of the people, they alleged.

Addressing a press conference, former Excise commissioner Rajat Bhargava said the lab reports claimed that those drinking spurious liquor were suffering from brain and mental disorders. Their descendants would face the risk of being born with polio, blindness, deafness, and other illnesses, he added.

Chemical expert Varun said the physical and mental health of those drinking harmful liquor would deteriorate. Genetic diseases and respiratory illnesses would affect the next generation, he said.

Varun said samples were taken from government liquor shops using geo-tagging at Ananthapuram, Gutti, Chilakaluripet, north Andhra, coastal Andhra, and Rayalaseema. Brands like Andhra Gold, Silver Stripes whiskey, and Nine Seas Horse were tested.

The expert said these brands contain toxic chemicals like Pyrogallol, Iso Fluoric Acid, and Dyethylpathallate. These toxins can cause cough, throat ache, redness in the eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea, erratic breathing, fall in BP, nervous disorders, dizziness, headache, mental imbalance, and convulsions and fits, he claimed.