Bar worker’s suicide raises serious questions

On Friday, Kerala Bar Workers Union members marched in a procession along with the ambulance carrying the body of Varghese, the hotel worker, who committed suicide here on Friday. They staged a dharna in front of the Secretariat to convey their plight to the Government.

Union president Shibu Kizhakidom claimed that seven bar workers had taken the extreme step since the closure of 418 bars. “About 40,000 people were engaged in direct or indirect employment. Of these, 12,870 had direct employment. So far, only those who have Abkari Welfare Fund membership, are eligible for availing of Government benefits and they number around 7,000. The rest are struggling for survival’’, he said.

Most bar workers whose families were leading relatively decent lives, are now just about managing their day-to-day expenses with the support of bar owners. Though the Government had constituted the Kerala Alcohol Education, Research and Compensation Fund (KAERCF) , the workers have no idea when it will actually benefit them.

“They have started collecting 5 per cent cess on liquor sales from today. But what we require is immediate help for our day- to-day sustenance. It’s high time the Government came out with some sort of interim arrangement’’, said Shibu.

The bar workers alleged that only 2,200 people had received Rs 5000 announced as special allowance during Onam. They hoped the Government would conduct a genuine assessment of the workers who had lost their jobs and irrespective of their permanent and temporary status, provide relief from the proposed fund. All these issues will be discussed at the meeting convened by the union here, on Saturday.