Barmer in Rajasthan, the second largest Lok Sabha constituency in India, has been making headlines lately over one of its high-profile candidates - expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh.
But many residents of the constituency have another issue on their mind.
Here, the supply of opium has joined the list of traditional electoral issues like water, hospitals, roads, education and power.
Every morning, serpentine queues of people can be seen waiting outside licensed shops to purchase their quota.
The immense demand for the addictive commodity has forced BJP candidate Colonel Sona Ram Choudhary to request Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, during a public meeting, to ensure its supply in the area.
"It was a demand of the people which I put forth before the chief minister. There was a shortage in the supply of 'doda', resulting in long queues of people who waited outside licensed shops. So I requested her to streamline the supply for genuine users who are mostly elderly people," he said.
"They hold large lunches and dinners in villages where workers and voters are offered the drink. This helps them get votes during elections," Mr Gaur said.
actual numbers are much higher.
Every addict is allowed to purchase according to the quote allocated for them by medical experts. The quota ranges from one kg to 10 kg per person.
Government figures put monthly consumption at nearly 17,737 kg in Barmer.
But officials do not rule out the supply of illegal 'doda' in the region, which is smuggled and sold in the black market. The official rate is about Rs 500 per kg but in the black market it rises to about Rs 700-1,000 per kg.
"We have become addicts. I cannot start my day if I don't get the 'doda' drink. It has become a necessity," said Kesaram, who had traveled all the way from neighbouring Ramsar area to purchase a kg the husk.
"I purchase this for my grandfather. He is an addict. I come here every week to purchase it for him," said Mangeram, a state government employee.
He shows, with a winning smile, the half kg 'booty' he was able to procure despite the rush.
When asked whether women also take the intoxicating drink, Kesaram replied in the negative.
"They either come here to purchase it for their male relatives or to sell it in the black market to make some money," he said.
"Women do come. They plead with us to give the 'doda'. But without identity cards, we don't issue anything," Mr Punia said.
The district officials, however, do admit that some of license conditions are not strictly followed and sometimes they give it to these women even without permit.
The addiction of 'doda' in the region starts with participation in the marriage ceremony where offering opium to 'baratis' (members of the groom's wedding party) is a must.
"If a person attends 15-20 marriages, he is bound to be addicted to the drink," Mr Punia said,
highlighting the social aspect of the habit.
Ironically, he said, there are hardly any addicts in the production area spread across eight districts of the state -- Chittor, Pratapgarh, Jhalwar, Kota, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Dungurpur and Banswada.
"The problem is localised in the consumption areas of Barmer, Jalore, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur often known as the Marwar belt," he said.
To get rid of this problem, the state government is planning to start a massive de-addiction drive post-election.
"According to the central government notification, no renewal of permits will take place after March 31, 2015. The sale of opium husk will be brought to an end by that date. We will start a de-addiction programme with the help of NGOs in the area so that the deadline can be met," Mr Punia said.
But many residents of the constituency have another issue on their mind.
Here, the supply of opium has joined the list of traditional electoral issues like water, hospitals, roads, education and power.
Every morning, serpentine queues of people can be seen waiting outside licensed shops to purchase their quota.
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The immense demand for the addictive commodity has forced BJP candidate Colonel Sona Ram Choudhary to request Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, during a public meeting, to ensure its supply in the area.
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"It was a demand of the people which I put forth before the chief minister. There was a shortage in the supply of 'doda', resulting in long queues of people who waited outside licensed shops. So I requested her to streamline the supply for genuine users who are mostly elderly people," he said.
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"They hold large lunches and dinners in villages where workers and voters are offered the drink. This helps them get votes during elections," Mr Gaur said.
Advertisement
actual numbers are much higher.
Every addict is allowed to purchase according to the quote allocated for them by medical experts. The quota ranges from one kg to 10 kg per person.
Advertisement
Government figures put monthly consumption at nearly 17,737 kg in Barmer.
But officials do not rule out the supply of illegal 'doda' in the region, which is smuggled and sold in the black market. The official rate is about Rs 500 per kg but in the black market it rises to about Rs 700-1,000 per kg.
"We have become addicts. I cannot start my day if I don't get the 'doda' drink. It has become a necessity," said Kesaram, who had traveled all the way from neighbouring Ramsar area to purchase a kg the husk.
"I purchase this for my grandfather. He is an addict. I come here every week to purchase it for him," said Mangeram, a state government employee.
He shows, with a winning smile, the half kg 'booty' he was able to procure despite the rush.
When asked whether women also take the intoxicating drink, Kesaram replied in the negative.
"They either come here to purchase it for their male relatives or to sell it in the black market to make some money," he said.
"Women do come. They plead with us to give the 'doda'. But without identity cards, we don't issue anything," Mr Punia said.
The district officials, however, do admit that some of license conditions are not strictly followed and sometimes they give it to these women even without permit.
The addiction of 'doda' in the region starts with participation in the marriage ceremony where offering opium to 'baratis' (members of the groom's wedding party) is a must.
"If a person attends 15-20 marriages, he is bound to be addicted to the drink," Mr Punia said,
highlighting the social aspect of the habit.
Ironically, he said, there are hardly any addicts in the production area spread across eight districts of the state -- Chittor, Pratapgarh, Jhalwar, Kota, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Dungurpur and Banswada.
"The problem is localised in the consumption areas of Barmer, Jalore, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur often known as the Marwar belt," he said.
To get rid of this problem, the state government is planning to start a massive de-addiction drive post-election.
"According to the central government notification, no renewal of permits will take place after March 31, 2015. The sale of opium husk will be brought to an end by that date. We will start a de-addiction programme with the help of NGOs in the area so that the deadline can be met," Mr Punia said.
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