Liquor flows unchecked in the city pubs, bars and eating joints. In the absence of awareness among consumers and servers, any youngster can order intoxicating drinks and no questions are asked.
A survey carried out by a team of Hindustan Times accompanied by a 21-year-old youth and a 16-year-old youngster revealed that owners of these joints offered liquor to youngsters without even making an attempt to verify their age. In all, the team visited five such joints in Sectors 17, 22, 34, 35 and 37.
In a fast food joint at Sector 17, the statutory warning against serving and consumption of liquor by youth was missing. It was the same at all the joints visited by the HT team.
The youngsters, who were sent by the HT team to the fast food joints, ordered beer and were served it without their age being verified. In Sector 35, a youth managed to get a mug of beer at a pizza joint. The staff was not concerned about the age of the visitor.
In a fast food joint at Sector 35, the staff handed over the teenager a chilled glass of Mojito laced with white rum. The HT team also found that the excise department has failed to take action against liquor vends and shops offering liquor to the youth.
{{/usCountry}}In a fast food joint at Sector 35, the staff handed over the teenager a chilled glass of Mojito laced with white rum. The HT team also found that the excise department has failed to take action against liquor vends and shops offering liquor to the youth.
{{/usCountry}}"We were too busy with the opening of tenders of liquor vends to initiate action against the violators," said a senior excise department official. He added that action would be taken after carrying out due verification.
Chandigarh Hospitality Association secretary Ankit Gupta said, "It is mandatory to display that liquor cannot be served to a person below 25. Hotels, bars and lounges are largely following the rules put forth by the administration."