Kallakurichi hooch tragedy
▪ Around 50 people died and many are admitted at the hospital after consuming spurious liquor.
▪ Tamil Nadu Government has constituted a one-man commission headed by former High Court Judge B.Gokuldas to inquire into the tragedy.
▪ Methanol has been cited as the cause of death
▪ The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations 2018 stipulate the maximum permissible quantity of methanol in different liquors.
▪ The distribution of methanol is restricted by the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act 1937.
Caste Census
▪ The Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, urging the Union government to conduct a caste-based census along with the general population census.
Note
▪ The State could conduct a caste-based census under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, the Census Act could override it.
▪ Section 3 of the Census Act states that only the Union government could conduct a census.
▪ Census is covered under Entry 69 in the Union List.
▪ Kulasekaran Commission on December 7, 2020 to collect caste based data.
