THE ALLAHABAD High Court has directed that no liquor shop shall be opened near any school or educational institution, residential colony, hospital or religious place in the city.
Passing this directive on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a Division Bench comprising Justice AK Yog and Justice Prakash Krishna directed immediate closure of liquor shops near St Joseph College and Spring Day School.
The Court further directed that licence of such shops should not be renewed after March 31, 2006. “If the licence has been renewed for these shops prior to March 31, 2006, the licence fee shall be refunded to the concerned applicants,” the Court directed.
The Court passed these directives on a PIL (no-2547 of 2005) filed by Anand Mohan, a prominent social worker of Allahabad.
Passing these directives, the Court observed, “It is shocking. The government appears to be extremely serious in popularising ‘spurious liquor’ and boost its sale. What is the good of having Social Welfare and Prohibition Department particularly when the Government has apparently done nothing to check adulteration in food, use of carbide, copper sulphate, lethal chemicals in edible (vegetables and fruits).”
“Another stress in the report is upon revenue.
{{/usCountry}}“Another stress in the report is upon revenue.
{{/usCountry}}There are various other ways and means to raise revenue, which are neither opposed to law, directive principles in the Constitution of India, or sense of decency and morality. To justify continuance of the aforesaid shops on the ground of revenue cannot be accepted,” the court observed.
The court asked the government to get serious to encourage ‘White Revolution’ in the country for production of fruits and vegetables, which are conducive to the good health of the people of India.
The court also asked the Government to ensure prevention of adulteration in food, use of prohibitive chemicals in food or vegetables.