Residents protest against opening of liquor shop

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 9

Hundreds of residents of Arjun Nagar today protested against a liquor shop that has been recently opened in Rajiv Gandhi Colony allegedly violating the norms. The protestors held a protest late in the evening.

Residents demanded that the liquor shop be removed from there.

“Earlier, there was no liquor shop here. But suddenly, it has appeared here. The liquor owners have been allotted the contract from April 1 this year, but residents here are objecting to the shop as they fear to face the drunkards all around the shop which is just opposite to their residences. In our Ward No. 48 of Bathinda city, there are about 1,400 voters and we don’t want this liquor shop,” said, Abhay Singh, a resident of Arjun Nagar.

He added, “The wine shop has been opened in violation with the norms as the Supreme Court had clearly mentioned that liquor shop cannot be opened in 100 meters of area around a school, residence or religious place. However, the norms were changed to 50 meters. But this liquor shop is just in front of residences that is hardly less than 10 meters.”