Steps will be taken to impose restrictions on methanol use: Ma Su

CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday said that he will visit persons undergoing treatment at hospitals in Villupuram and Chengalpattu district, who had consumed spurious liquor, and that an officer will be appointed to monitor their treatment.

Addressing a press conference in Chennai, he said, "So far, 55 persons have been admitted to various hospitals after consuming spurious liquor and are undergoing treatment. The best treatment is provided to them and it will be expedited. I will visit the persons undergoing treatment at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital and the hospital in Mundiyambakkam. An officer will be appointed to monitor those undergoing treatment. Steps will be taken to monitor the use of methanol used to brew spurious liquor. Action will be taken to impose restrictions on the use of Methanol."

Regarding cases related to Dengue, he said, "Dengue cases are less this year as compared to last year. There have been no deaths in the last two years. Dengue cases in the State are under control. There are 15,853 mosquito spraying machines in stock."

As of today, the number of deaths in the Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts due to spurious liquor consumption has touched 19.

One incident took place at Ekkiyarkuppam fishing hamlet, where a group of 50 people had consumed the hooch brewed locally on Saturday evening during a function and the other took place in Maduranthakam in Chengalpattu district. Within a few hours, several of them had complained of uneasy feelings like vomiting, fainting, and eye irritation

On Monday, DGP C Sylendra Babu issued orders to conduct a special search operation to trace and eradicate the sale of spurious liquor in the State.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced the transfer of the investigation into the spurious liquor deaths to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID).