By Bizodisha Bureau in Bhubaneswar, July 3, 2016 : Of every five persons that buy liquor from licensed liquor outlets in the state capital here and its suburbs, one is a student, according to a survey.  

Ironically, though restrictions have been imposed on the sale of liquor to persons below 21 years of age, in most of the outlets, it was found to be openly flouted.

The survey conducted by Odisha Mada Mukti Abhiyaan (OMMA) on about 2,000 customers purchasing liquor from licensed liquor outlets in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and their suburbsrevelas that 1.5 percent of students are below the age of 16 years.

OMMA conducted a survey at 30 liquor shops located in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and their suburbs for a week at different points of time between 10.30 AM to 10.30 PM.

The survey has found that while 18 percent of the liquor buyers were in the age group of 16-21years, 20 percent were in the age group of 21-30 years. Around 40 percent of the liquor customers were in the age bracket of 30-50 years while 20.5 percent were above 50 years of age.

The most disturbing among the findings is that 420 out the 2,000 liquor buyers surveyed were students, which is a whopping 21 percent. The number of students purchasing liquor in Bhubaneswar was 1.5 times more than that of Cuttack.

Besides, the survey found out that students buying liquor in the state capital mostly stayed in private hostels and more than 30 percent of them were non-Odias.

What is alarming most is the fact that 37 percent of liquor-buyers were daily wage earners, construction workers, and small businessmen, according to the survey.

The survey also found that 12 percent of those who bought liquor were unemployed youths.

Most of those buying liquor from liquor shops consumed their drink either at the roadside food stalls, nearby parks or openly on culverts on public roads, the survey said.