No takers for UT’s spirited move to scuttle SC ruling

The Supreme Court has been sidelined by the ballistic bureaucracy of the City Beautiful. Imagine the level of moral bankruptcy in the city Administration whose only concern is to earn money by hook or crook. Instead of beautifully circumventing the SC order, the UT bureaucracy should have invented some other practical and appropriate way to earn revenue like relocating liquor vends at four to five designated spots.

RK Sundan, Chandigarh

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UT wanted to bypass SC judgment

The aim behind the move was to generate revenue from the sale of liquor. If liquor shops are not visible along the national or state highways, it may affect the sales and revenue generation. Therefore, the idea of de-notifying state highways aimed at scuttling the Supreme Court judgment.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali

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Officials accountable too

There are two major aspects to the issue. Firstly, how the roads in question initially qualified to be notified as state/national highways? Was it only to generate a false sense of pride or these roads genuinely qualified? Everyone is accountable and cannot shift blame to other. Secondly, have the authorities exhausted all their options of revenue generation that they need liquor vends at all cost?

Maj Gen PS Mander (retd), Mohali

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Not in right direction

The “innovative idea” of the UT Administration is not a right move to keep the city in “high spirits”. Going by the decision of the apex court, all liquor vends covered under the restricted areas should be closed in Chandigarh as well. As known, liquor is injurious to health. So, de-notifying highways can’t remove drugs from city.

Gauri Kalra

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Follow court verdict

The UT Administration should go by the apex court judgment and close all liquor vends covered under the restricted area in Chandigarh. It should start taking steps as Panchkula has already done by closing liquor vends in some areas, mandatory declaration of stipulated time and terms regarding vends and sub-vends in urban and rural areas.

Rashi Srivastava, Chandigarh

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Close vends in restricted areas

All liquor vends in restricted areas should be closed without giving a second thought. All sign boards should also be removed. It will ensure the safety of commuters as visibility is the first temptation. Drinking under the influence of alcohol is one of the major reasons behind road accidents. This order of the SC will benefit society.

Kamalpreet Kaur, Mohali

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UT move has wider ramifications

The Supreme Court judgment is a commendable step to dissuade the public from having an immediate access to liquor. The Administration’s idea to scuttle the judgment by de-notifying state highways may tantamount to the contempt of court and have wider ramifications.

Harish Kapur, Chandigarh

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Exploit other resources

Instead of bypassing the judgment of the Supreme Court as per which no liquor shop should be visible from national and state highways, the Administration should raise its revenue using LED bulbs, immediate auctioning of parking lots and raising property tax to compensate for the loss of revenue.

Nikita Kapur, Chandigarh

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Unethical act

This act of circumventing the SC orders is unethical and speaks not only of the disregard to the highest court of the land but also sends a wrong message to other states of the country. The Supreme Court should take suo moto notice of this and direct the UT authorities to restore the rightful title of highways and implement the judgment in letter and spirit.

SS Arora, Mohali

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Implement directives strictly

Apparently revenue generation is the aim behind the Administration move but at what costs. Everyday accidents are occurring, resulting in deaths or maiming of young people because of liquor consumption. Families have been ruined due to it. The availability on the main roads lures the driving community. The orders of the SC should be implemented strictly and should not be allowed to be scuttled in this manner.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

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Argument unsustainable

This judgment of the Supreme Court is visibly in the interest of the public. The Chandigarh Administration should have endorsed it and implemented it without considering the loss. The argument behind de-notifying highways is not sustainable. I, therefore, suggest that the Chandigarh Administration should realise the facts and implement the judgment forthwith.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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Judgment highly appreciable

The directives of Supreme Court to keep liquor shops 500 meters away from state and national highways is highly appreciable. This will not only help in the reduction of the sale of liquor but also reduce accidents after drunken driving. The Chandigarh Administration had no option but to change the rules because there cannot be any place that will be more than 500 meters away from a road.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Don’t allow Admn to bypass orders

The Supreme Court has done well to ban all liquor shops on national and state highways across the country and prohibiting the renewal of existing shops after March 31. But, declaring state highways as major district roads is a clever move to scuttle the Supreme Court order. It should not be allowed at any cost. The problem of the sale of liquor along the highways is huge. All highways and village roads are dotted with liquor vends. People can be seen using their motorcycles, scooters and cars as mobile liquor shops by just parking on the roadside, luring the passersby.

Col RD Singh (retd), Ambala Cantt

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Authorities failed to realise aim behind order

The Chandigarh Administration’s action of de-notifying highways has only been done to keep the revenue intact. However, it has failed to realise the depth of the apex court judgment. The Chandigarh Administration and other state governments are fully aware that drivers of most commercial vehicles stop at these highways ans consume liquor.

HBS Batra, Mohali

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Shift shops in villages immediately

Liquor vends in villages should be immediately shifted. It has been observed that poor and middle class persons have started consuming liquor on a large scale. It is necessary to comply with the SC order and close down liquor shops falling under the restricted area.

Tarlok Singh, Mani Majra

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Re-designate roads

The government’s only concern is to earn revenue from liquor vends. It does not bother about the health of citizens, afflicted with some deadly diseases due to the intake of liquor and miseries of those shattered by its ills effects. If we cannot impose prohibition, at least we should not try to misinterpret the apex court judgment and re-designate the highways to save liquor vends for revenue sake, which in fact have become nurseries for drunken drivers.

AS Ahuja, Chandigarh

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Impose heavy fines

The Supreme Court’s judgement, restricting liquor shops on national highways may not be a deterrent to drunken drivers. Enthusiastic tipplers may manage to get it from somewhere elsewhere. There is no need to ban these but to make drivers aware of their responsibilities. Need-based heavy fines can also be imposed but shifting of the responsibility by the Administration won’t work.

MPS Chadha, Chandigarh

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Liquor lobby influenced UT decision

The decision of the notifying national/state highways as district highways is nothing but throwing dust into the eyes of the Supreme Court. By doing so, the Administration has acted under the influence of the powerful liquor lobby. What if a major portion of the vends is to be closed? Many lives can be saved.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

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Purpose of legislation defeated

This move of UT negates the very purpose of the legislation that aims at making highways safe for commuting. Attractive hoardings and an easy availability of liquor served as temptation, especially to truck drivers. However, the UT move will nullify the objective behind the SC judgment.

Bubby Soin

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Drunkards can get booze from anywhere

A drunkard never asks for shifting of shops. He will like more shops near his house or office. On the other hand, if a person does not drinks, he never ask for such shops in his area. In short, a drunkard can get liquor even from a remote area.

Vinod Shetty

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UT only ensuring revenue

The action of the UT Administration is aimed at protecting its earnings. As long as the existing vends do not result in rash or wrong driving, the UT Administration can act to protect its revenue without being anti-public from any angle.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Act of disobedience

The move of the UT Administration is an act of disobedience. How can one expect a favorable response from the general public if the Administration tries to scuttle a public-friendly judgement? The Administration must continue to find innovative ideas to convert the city into a better living place. it should set an example for others to emulate.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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Nice ploy

It’s a nice ploy of the UT Administration to circumvent the judicial orders. Another way could be to alter names of liquor vends. These could have been called “dilruba sharbat” to escape the court’s injunction, which is applicable to liquor vends. Whom are we fooling? The essence of the court’s order was to keep liquor out of the reach of commuters who drive rashly. The purpose will be defeated in this way.

Tejinder Singh Kalra, Mohali

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SC order good for development

The prohibition of liquor vend along national or state highways is a good way to take the city towards the path of development. The apex court order is a relief for city residents, especially women who faced a number of difficulties in their lives due to it. This will help in checking drug menace and road accidents.

Umang, Ambala

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Prohibition can’t be enforced in letter & spirit

It is a bitter truth that the policy of liquor prohibition can’t be enforced in letter and spirit in any state or union territory for various reasons. One of the consequence of such orders is the eruption of illegal trade, which often lacks supervision.

Hemant Kumar, Ambala