---

One of the main promises held out by the ruling national unity coalition when they were campaigning on ‘a good governance’ platform was to eliminate the drug and ethanol mafia in the country for good.

A certain leading businessman in the city during the previous regime imported ethanol shipments under tax concessions for the purported purpose of producing Eau-de-cologne and syphoned off massive stocks of the stuff for the manufacture of Kasippu. The man is said to have made enough filthy lucre byusing ethanol to adulterate even brandy and whiskey as well.  When the lid on the racket was blown off, the authorities at the time removed the tax concessions and the businessman hadto cry halt to his operations.

This ethanol baron incidentally having strong ties to the mass media is planning to resume the lucrative racket he had to abandon, they say.

Our man was seen recently hanging around a certain Ministry. His visit was not in vain.  He met the powerful politico at the place and left the Ministry premises shortly afterwards armed with a new permit to import ethanol for the specific purpose of manufacturing Eau-de-cologne!