Women protest against shifting of highway liquor shops to Pauri
Women jammed traffic for more than two hours at Mall Road in Pauri on Sunday against relocation of highway booze shops to residential areas
Women jammed traffic for more than two hours at Mall Road in Pauri on Sunday against relocation of highway booze shops to residential areas.
Wine shops are being relocated in some parts of the state after the Supreme Court banned liquor sale within 500 metres of national and state highways.
The women shouted slogans in front of a liquor shop and demanded that it be shifted away from the town.
The local administration, police and excise department officials pacified the agitators and brought the situation under control.
PS Mishra, the district excise officer, explained to the agitators about importance of revenue generated from liquor sale.
When the protesters refused to leave spot, the district excise officer assured them in writing that the shop would be allowed to remain open till April end and no new liquor shop would be opened at Mall Road. Reports of protest against liquor shops are regularly coming from Uttarkashi, Tehri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.
Some of the organisations are even demanding a total ban of liquor in the hill state.
In the past, Nainital, Ramgarh, Bageshwar, Champwat and Bhowali had seen anti-liquor movements. These places are again in the forefront. Urban centres as Haldwani are also seeing massive protests by women . Both Garhwal and Kumaon regions have reported women come out on roads to coerce owners not to reopen liquor shops.