Families living in Ingiriya driven by poverty turn to illicit liquor as a means of surviving

The quality of life for the 40,000 people in and around the estates of Perth, Anduru, Raigam and Anduragala in Ingiriya are nothing to brag about.

In some homes as many as five families including the married children live in the same house. These people have 10 or 12 children. They manage their daily expenses, on the money they earn by working on the estates and also by working as labourers.

Most of the parents and even the children in the area are addicted to illicit liquor – kassippu which has plagued the lives of those in these families. While children in these estates suffer from malnutrition, the majority of the men and women have been reduced to walking skeletons.

The children languish at home without any schooling and follow in the footsteps of their parents, and become accustomed to consuming alcohol and resort to stealing plantains or coconut from the nearby gardens and sell them to earn money.

Having not attended school and being unable to write R. Shivarani (33) says, “I am married for the second time. The previous man died after drinking illicit liquor. Most people here are not legally married. I pluck tea at the estate while my husband plucks coconuts, to earn money. My husband has two children from his previous marriage. We cannot send them to school because we have no birth certificates for them. I have a child too who has a birth certificate.”

Ravanan Pushpalatha (29) is Shivarani’s sister she too is uneducated as well and claims they are unable fall asleep at night, unless they consume kassippu.

“It was our mother who taught us to drink,” she says. “Now, we cannot do without it. My elder sister and I both go to work on the estate. If we do not drink a little in the morning, we cannot pluck the tea leaves. I have not married legally although I have a spouse and three children. The children live with his mother and he works as a labourer.

Although A. Madhuraveeran lives amongst these people he is someone who does not consume illicit liquor.

“My uncle, grandfather and grandmother died after consuming “kassippu“. When my uncle died he was 24 years old. My Grandmother was 42 and my Grandfather was 45 when he died, and because of this I do not drink,” says A. Madhuraveeran. “ I am legally married. I have not been to school either and can’t read. However, I do have a national identity card. My son is three and a half years and we are considering sending him to a Sinhalese school.”

Speaking on the plight of the people in Ingiriya, Secretary, M.G.G.F. Dharmasena said, “I accept the fact that there are many without national identity cards living around the estates. Once, the Police and the Grama Sewa Officer put into effect a special process to issue temporary identity cards, I will make arrangements to issue permanent identity cards.” He said, “the Police who have to take action regarding the increasing menace of alcohol in the area. We have totally suspended those who come to office to carry out their duties, after consuming alcohol. The Samurdhi Authorities have teamed up with the Social Welfare Division and are in the process creating awareness among these families.”

Chief Police Inspector, Chameera Thilakaratne, Ingiriya OIC said many raids were conducted in connection with this matter, in conjunction with the national drive to reduce alcohol consumption and taken into custody persons as well as articles and produced in Courts.

“To a great extent poverty and ignorance are the main causes for the consumption of illicit liquor. As the hawkers of “kassippu” get children to participate in their business activities, the children unknowingly get into the habit of consuming liquor. A plan is needed to deal with this situation. Birth certificates or related documents should be prepared for these children of school going age and they should be directed to a vocational training institution. If a methodical plan is not followed it is possible that this will become a massive social problem in the future,” he said.

Adding that the attention directed towards the protection of these children have been overlooked to a great extent by their parents. This has also become one of the reasons that the children are on the wrong path.