I AM VERY HAPPY THAT A MOVEMENT LIKE THIS HAS BECOME A REALITY. AGED 64 YEARS ,I RECALL SIXTIES WHEN OUR GOVT HAD A SLOGAN “JAI JAWAN JAI KISAN”. NOW ALL THOSE PRIORITIES GONE TO WINDS. MY HUMBLE REQUEST IS THAT KISANPUTHRA WEBSITE SHOULD ENABLE WITH READING IN OTHER INDIAN LANGUAGES ALSO APART FROM HINDI. THOUGH HINDI IS OUR MATHRUBHASHA, IT IS FACT MANY IN SOUTH INDIAN STATES ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH HINDI. MANY LIKE ME CAN SPEAK HINDI WELL BUT NOT SO GOOD IN HINDI READING. MEANWHILE, PEOPLE LIKE US ARE ACTIVE SOCIAL WORKERS. HENCE KINDLY START THE ENGLISH VERSION OF OUR WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN SPREAD THIS MOVEMENT TO LAKHS AND LAKHS OF FARMERS IN OUR STATES.
ADV P. R. AUGUSTINE
TODDY (TAPPED FROM COCONUTS AND OTHER PALMS) IN SOUTHERN STATES ( I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT OTHER STATES) IS A HEALTHY BEVERAGE WITH LOWER ALCOHOLIC CONTENT. IN KERALA TODDY WAS AVAILABLE IN PLENTY IN SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THIS BEVERAGE WAS BROUGHT TO TODDY SHOPS THROUGH ABKARI ACT. UNDER PRESENT ABKARI LAWS IN KERALA EACH GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WERE MARKED AS RANGES AND AUCTIONS WERE HELD FOR THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO SALE OF THIS BEVERAGE. THE TODDY CONTRACTORS BEGAN MIXING WATER AND SPIRIT INTO TODDY AND SELL IT AT HIGHER PRICES. SPURIUS TODDY ALSO BEGAN TO FLOW. AT THE SAME TIME GOVTS BEGAN TO ENCOURAGE IMFL(INDIAN MADE FOREIGN LIQUOR).
POLITICAL PARTIES FOUND IT EASY TO COLLECT HUGE BRIBES FROM IMFL BREWERIES. IN KERALA THERE IS NOT A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD WITHOUT COCONUT TREES. WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO TMFL, RURAL FARMERS WITH COCONUT TREES WERE PENNILESS SINCE THEY HAD TO BOW THEIR HEADS BEFORE TODDY CONTRACTORS AND TODDY SHOP EMPLOYEES. THE VICTIM WAS POOR KERALA /TAMIL NADU FARMERS. IMFL IS HIGHLY INJURIOUS TO HEALTH. BUT GOVTS / POLITICAL PARTIES ARE FOR IT BECAUSE IT IS AN EASY PREY FOR GETTING BRIBES. SIR, MY HUMBLE PRAYER IS THAT OUR LAWS MUST BE REDRAFTED SO THAT FARMER CAN SELL TODDY TAPPED FROM HIS COCONUT TREES.. ..ATLEAST A LIMITED QUANTITY SO THAT THE POOR FARMER COULD SURVIVE. IT IS HIS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT. THAT ALONE WILL SAVE LAKHS OF FARMERS FROM POVERTY AND MISERIES. NOW THE SITUATION IS SUCH ALL EXCEPT POOR FAR FARMERS ARE MINTING MONEY BY GETTING BRIBES FROM IMFL LOBBY. IMFL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES GIVE BRIBES TO POLITICAL PARTIES SO THAT POLITICAL LEADERS ARE HAPPY. EMPLOYEES IN IMFL VENDING SHOPS (ORGANISED UNDER THESE POLITICAL PARTIES ) ARE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY GET HEFTY SALARY FROM GOVT IMFL SHOPS.
GOVT IS HAPPY WITH HUGE TAX THEY GET FROM IMFL. ADULTERATED OR SPURIOUS LIQUORS ARE GIVEN TO CONSUMERS. THUS CITIZENS GET ONLY IMFL WHICH OFTEN IS HIGHLY INJURIOUS TO HEALTH. ONCE TODDY IS PERMITTED TO TAPPED BY FARMERS IT WILL CHANGE THE RURAL SCENARIO VERY MUCH. PEOPLE CAN ENJOY HEALTHY DRINK WHEREAS COCONUT FARMERS CAN EASILY GET A LIVING. SO MY REQUEST IS THAT WE MUST APPROACH SUPREME COURT FOR OUR RIGHT TO TAP TODDY FROM OUR COCONUT TREES(AT LEAST A MINIMUM NUMBER)
-ADV P R AUGUSTINE
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