Liquor vend adjacent to society irks residents

At least 100 residents gathered at the liquor vend at 10am on Monday holding placards to register their protest

Updated on: Jun 25, 2024, 06:16:06 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Residents of a housing society adjacent to Gold Souk Mall in Gurugram Sector 43 held a protest on Monday against the allotment of a plot of land adjacent to the society to a liquor vend.

Residents protest against liquor vend allotment adjacent to a residential society in Sector-43 near Gold Souk Mall on Monday. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) on Monday, the residents said the land allotment violates HSVP policy. At least 100 residents gathered at the liquor vend at 10am on Monday holding placards to register their protest.

“The move jeopardises the safety and security of residents of Sector 43 and C Block Sushant Lok. The service road is already congested, and adding a liquor vend will only increase traffic issues. Incidents of chain snatching have been reported on the road, and introducing a liquor vend will escalate safety concerns, especially for women and children,” said Tanuja Sehgal, president, residents’ welfare association (RWA), Kamaroon Courts.

Nitish Mittal, former treasurer of Tarika CGHS, GH-8, Sector 43, said, “This decision poses significant safety issues for residents, particularly those visiting the mall. While advertising for liquor companies is banned on television, it is contradictory to allow liquor vends amid residential areas without consulting local RWAs. Such decisions directly impact the safety and peace of residents. We are determined not to allow a liquor vend near our home in any circumstances and will vigorously pursue the cancellation of the licence.”

The excise department said they would visit the spot but since the allotment has already been done, they cannot change it. “We will send the case to the headquarters, they will take a call,” said a senior excise and taxation officer on condition of anonymity.

A senior HSVP official said that necessary instructions have been given to estate office two to resolve the issue. An official of HSVP estate office two said that the matter is under consideration and location of the wine shop could be changed after getting necessary approval from higher authorities.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More