Anti-liquor movement picks up pace in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Anti-liquor movement is gradually taking shape of a people's movement in state capital. More than a dozen protests have already taken place in Bhopal in the past couple of weeks.
As per new excise policy of 2015-16 notified on January 21, liquor shops can now remain open till 11.30 pm and bars can serve alcohol till midnight. Also, state government has permitted transfer/merger of country-made liquor shops with foreign liquor shops though both the categories of liquor are governed by separate rules meant for particular category.
Also, a lot of these liquor vends are in no parking areas but due to crowding of vehicles gives rise to traffic problems.
This has angered people in residential areas, including Kolar, BHEL, Ratnagiri, Kamla Nagar, Gulmohar, Ravishankar Nagar, Semra in Ashoka Garden, Barkhedi Kalan and Chola Mandir. Women too have come out on streets in large numbers, demanding closure or shifting of liquor shops from residential areas.
On Sunday, residents of Bagh Mugalia extension opposed liquor shops in residential areas by performing a 'sundarkand puja' for several hours. They also demanded that like other shops, all liquor shops should remain closed at least for a day every week.
Bagh Mugalia Extension Colony Vikas Samiti president Umashankar Tiwari told TOI, "New liquor shops are opened in residential localities despite chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's oft-repeated announcements that no new liquor shop would be opened in residential area. This is a hypocritical attitude of the government
."
Another Bagh Mugalia resident Sevanti Malviya said, "Night crimes are often linked with drunk driving. New excise policy would lead to spurt in crimes. Liquor shops and bars should close down latest by 10pm."
As per WHO data, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among people between 15-29 years and drunken driving is one of the main contributing factors for the accidents.
Sushma Rajput, another resident of Bagh Mugaliya present on Sunday, too questioned the double policy of the state government on excise issue.
MP high court (MPHC) had earlier served notices to the state government and Gwalior excise commissioner following PIL filed by Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch, Jabalpur. It pleaded quashing of the excise policy 2015-16 on the ground that it was against certain provisions of the MP Excise Act.