Editor,
We the common people always blame the Police Department and many of us have no faith in this Department. But I would like to mention one incident which had changed my perception of the police and has made me very grateful to them. On July 17, my daughter had lost her very valuable gold chain in front of Star Tailor in Keating Road. That very day, my daughter, sister – in – law and I lodged an FIR at Sadar Police Station 8.30 pm. The officer- in- charge accepted our FIR with great care, and ultimately he and his police forces went to that place and sincerely investigated the matter. Ultimately one month later they recovered the chain and handed it over to me. The attitude and performance of officer-in- charge and his staff is highly appreciable. This is really a matter of pride for the Police Department and I am personally proud of Meghalaya Police force.
Yours etc.
Aparna Chakraborty
Shillong -1
Of Wine stores
Editor,
Very often we comes across the word “ Wine Store” used extensively all over India and particularly in the North East. But have we ever realized what it actually means to display or paint the word WINE on every store selling alcohol based drinks? The word has been used randomly irrespective of whether shops sell the said product or not. This a common sight in Meghalaya and Assam. Let me explain what exactly the word ‘WINE’ means. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine, a wine is described as “alcoholic drink made by fermentation of juice of fruits or berries”. By extension, this general definition can also include products of fermentation of sugar solutions flavoured with flowers or herbs, but it normally excludes those of hydrolysed barley starches involved in brewing and the products of fermentation of sugar containing liquids destined for distillation. So, the narrower definition relevant to this explanation is that wine is “ the alcohol;ic beverage obtained from the fermentation of the juice of freshly gathered grapes ” However, to most of us wine means any beverage with alcohol in it. This is an incorrect definition. Whisky, Rum, Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Brandy, Bourbon, Absinthe, etc including our own local Khasi brew( Ka Kyiad Lieh) don’t fall under this category called Wine. They are all obtained from distillation process and basic raw materials which are used in the production of these products are malted grains. They collectively fall under the category Liquor or Spirit and generally have high alcohol content ranging anywhere from 20% to 50% ABV, whereas wine will have much lower levels of alcohol between 7% – 15% abv. If this upper alcohol limit is exceeded in wine then it falls under the category of “Fortified Wines” such as Port etc. So, my argument is how can we call any shop or establishment selling alcoholic beverages as WINE STORE? In reality most of these shops will have large stocks of spirits and beers and hardly three to four brands of Wines will be on display. Some, don’t even bother to keep bottles of wines and will have only spirits and beers and still they have signboards with the word WINE STORE . In my opinion the correct terms which should be used on the signboards of these establishments are- SPIRIT, BEER & WINE Store.
Yours etc.,
Rajesh Swarnakar, AIWS Wine & Spirit Educator and Trainer,
Vi email