DC seeks reply from Company Bagh clubs over serving liquor

Charanjit Singh Teja

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Amritsar, September 12

On the complaint of a social activist, PC Sharma (an advocate), seeking the removal of infrastructure and a ban on serving liquor in Amritsar Club, Service Club and Lumsden Club, all situated inside Ram Bagh, a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains Act, 1958, and Rule 1959 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, has now asked the elite clubs to reply in this regard.

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation failed to stop the sale of liquor in the historic Ram Bagh (company garden) in the last four years.

The DC office has written to the clubs for their remarks.

On December 4, 2018, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted an agreement to the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) regarding the custodianship and functioning of the historical Ram Bagh. The MC had agreed to remove several buildings and encroachments, including offices, and food kiosks, from the garden immediately.

The MC Commissioner mentioned in the agreement that the water waste being produced by these clubs was affecting the surrounding environment and the monument. As per the agreement, all commercial activities, including serving of liquor, were supposed to be banned by the MC. Even after four years, the MC hasn’t taken any initiative to implement the terms of the agreement. No encroachment has been removed and clubs are also selling liquor.

The lease term of all these clubs had ended 31 years ago in 1991. But with political and bureaucratic support, the clubs remain inside the historic Garden of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. During the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu favoured the management of the three clubs inside the garden and had publically announced that the MC would support them to stay in the garden as Capt Amarinder wanted the clubs to stay in the historical garden.

The efforts were made by local NGOs and activists to stop the sale of liquor in the past, but officials of the local administration did not take any concrete steps.

“The removal of the clubs from the garden is a separate issue. We are focused on the implementation of the agreement between the MC and the ASI. The encroachments and MC infrastructure should be removed. The liquor should be stopped as it is clearly mentioned in the agreement. I have also written to the Excise Department to cancel their licences as it is a violation of the agreement between President of India and Governor of Punjab,” said the social activist.