Government Should not have decreased the Price of Liqor at any cost through the forthcoming Budget proposals as such a move will increase the spreading of Non communicable diseases including Heart Diseases which is number one killer disease in the country at present according to the Executive Director of Alcohol And Drugs Information Center(ADIC) Pubudu Sumanasekare.
"Government can increase the Price of Liquor as it is necassary thing due to the spreading of Non Communciable diseases in the society rapidy caused due to Liqour ,But should not decrease the price as predicted by Finance Minister recently the Executive Director of ADIC has stressed during a press briefing held at Government Information Department.Narahenpita yesterday(07).
He has further said that the consumption of Beer and other Liquors in the country had increased after 1995 as a result of reducing the taxes imposed on Beer by 50% by government and the consumption has decreased from 2007 due to the setting up of the National Tobacco and Alcohol Authrity in 2006.However the consumption of Liquor had again increased from 2010 as a result of the expanding of Liqour industry towards North and Eastern provinces after ending of 30 year old war in North and due to the increasing of operations by the Liqour companies ,Pubudu Sumanasekare has stressed.
Government was mislead by the Liqour Companies by stating that a majority of Liqour users in the country getting use to consume illcit liqour like locally made "Kasippu" ,but according to the statistics only 8% of the Liquor users consume "Kasippu" and 92% are consuming so called legally manufactured Liqour he has further added.
Addressing the conference Dr.Saeewa Ranaweera attached to the Sri Lanka Medical Association has stressed that due to the Liqour consumption here the country has recorded an economic loss of Rs.141 billion in 2015 alone.
The Director of Council Of Alochol and Narcotics Hoken Leifman has said that it seems during last 25 year period the Liqour Industry has increased the percentage of Alcohol used when manufacturing Liqour and due to this an extensive damge has done to Liqour users ."In Sweden too Liquor Manufacturers are adding more Alcohol to Beer to make it stronger and as a result users quickley getting addicted to other strong Liqours as well he has stressed.
Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has supplied 5600 metric tonnes of Petrol to Oil filling stations throughout the country and due to issue another 3000 metric tonnes of Petrol today(08) according to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Development.
