A survey conducted by Kudumbashree Mission under the National Rural Livelihood Mission of the union ministry has revealed that in the last two years 116 tribal men died of alcohol related diseases in Attappadi.

The survey, conducted in 196 tribal hamlets of Attapadi also found that most of the dead men were of age group 18 – 45.

“The use of liquor has also resulted in a number of suicides among youngsters in the Attapadi tribal belt,“ said coordinator of the national livelihood mission, Seema Bhaskar told The Times of India.

The nodal officer of tribal health Kottathara in Attapadi Dr R Prebhudas told ToI that a screening done on tribal patients found that around 350 of them were suffering from various types of mental disorders mainly due to the use of liquor and drugs, and there were a large number of patients with mental disabilities among the tribal population in Attapadi.

Meanwhile a tribal women group `Thaikula Sanghom', had started a Satyagraha asking to shut down the Tamil Nadu government owned liquor shops in the inter-state Anakatty border of Attapadi. The agitation started on February 17.