Public drinking: RWA moves HC

As the national Capital struggles to get rid of the tag ‘crime capital’, a new conundrum has cropped up in the form of liquor vends.

As the national Capital struggles to get rid of the tag ‘crime capital’, a new conundrum has cropped up in the form of liquor vends.

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Most booze shops in the city — at night and during the day — are ideal breeding grounds for crime. Drunk youths indulge in noisy arguments and pass lewd remarks at women passersby.

While some drinkers are found guzzling liquor inside cars, others choose dark and dingy corners around side streets.

The menace is such that women are apprehensive of passing through these areas alone.

However, while most people suffer silently, residents near Anupam Plaza (in close proximity to Ghazipur) have moved the Delhi High Court against the menace.

“Nuisance is created by customers of (the) liquor shop, who consume alcohol inside cars, on side streets and adjoining areas, causing inconvenience to residents of colonies in the vicinity. There is also a school nearby,” said the petition filed by Anupam Plaza-I Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA).

The association told the court that they had been repeatedly requesting Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) to shift the booze shop from the area.

Taking note of the trouble caused to residents, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the area station house officer (SHO) to ensure that people do not drink in public near the outlet and to see that no one around the outlet facilitates public drinking such as by helping open beer bottles or supply soda or water. The Delhi Police commissioner has been asked to ensure strict compliance of the court order.

“It is to be ensured that no bottles are sold open,” the court said. Contending that the outlet was situated near a school, the RWA says it was a direct violation of the government’s policy of not allowing liquor shops in residential areas, schools and religious places.