Hotels, restaurants 'serve' liquor to minors in parties

Tribune News Service

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, June 14

Several hotels and restaurants in the city are allegedly serving liquor to children below 18 years of age when the latter throw a party on their premises. Due to the lackadaisical attitude of law-enforcing agencies, hotel owners prefer to look the other way, putting the lives of children at risk even as parents also fail to keep an eye on their wards.

Children from Classes X, XI and XII plan parties at hotels and they are served with beer, wine, vodka, whiskey and vapes.

One of the children regularly attending parties said: “Trends have changed and we are no longer part of the old schools. Everyone wants hard drinks in parties these days. You may serve them any food item, but they want hard drinks of their own choice”.

The mother of a 17-year-old boy complained that due to peer pressure, they had to send children to such parties. Else, they blame their parents for being “outdated”.

“I do not sleep till late at night and wait for him to return home in senses. Not only boys, but also girls get heavily drunk in parties. Children are too innocent to realise what is good or bad for them and they are provided with every drink they want to have. They lose senses and puke after consuming too much alcohol, but they call it fashion,” rued the woman.

‘Lack of checking to blame’

Amarvir Singh, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, here, condemned the hotels/restaurants serving liquor or hookah to children. He said lack of checking by law-enforcing agencies was the major reason behind this. “I will write to the Police Commissioner and the Punjab Chief Minister on this sensitive issue so that a separate force could be deputed to keep a check on hotels/restaurants serving hard drinks to children. At the same time, such parties are not possible without the knowledge of parents. Ultimately, parents have to clear the bill in most of the cases,” said Amarvir Singh.

We act after plaint: Cop

One of the police officials on condition of anonymity said the police take action on the basis of any complaint. “We act if we get any complaint,” he said.

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