Wine Shop Inside Temple

The loopholes between rules and their implementation are nowhere more evident than at Nayapul, where part of a mandir has been turned into a wine shop.

The wine shop, adjacent to a Durga temple, is located on the right side of the road when proceeding from Nayapul to Salarjung Museum.

The wine shop has sprung up on a part of the temple land, which has, surprisingly, shrunk in size.

Not only has a place of God been turned to a place of the Devil, but passersbys are facing innumerable problems due to the overlooking of the Excise Department in granting licence to the wine shop.

The oversight by the Prohibition and Excise Department has led to problems among peace-loving citizens, devotees, school children, morning and evening walkers, and locals, especially women.

Despite numerous complaints pouring in to the concerned department from every section, regarding the wine shop, nothing has been done yet.

Till date, the Prohibition and Excise Department has issued licences for the setting up of 215 liquor outlets in the city. This clearly shows that the department has been indiscriminate in giving permissions.

Many belt shops are located near educational institutions, temples and hospitals, in clear violation of the norms.

Rules say that any liquor shop or bar should be at least 100 meters way from educational institutes, temples or hospitals. However, officials of the concerned department have been turning a blind eye to the norms, with a view of taking advantage of a loophole in the set rules.

Every other day, the police station receives a complaint from devotees thronging temples and patients visiting hospitals, who encounter problems because of the commotion created by inebriated customers of the wine shop.

In most cases, wine shops provide space for the drunkards to consume liquor, against the rules, and the general public suffers while Excise Enforcement officials tend to look the other way.

Contacts in the Excise Department say they only go by the rule book.

"What is most important is whether or not these temples are enlisted with the Endowments Department. Also, if an educational institute, though recognized by the government, opens a branch, we have no objection allowing a liquor shop near the branch," an Excise official revealed on the condition of anonymity.

The official further added, "We allow opening a liquor shop near a hospital if it is less than 30-bedded, since such a hospital is not recognized by the government"

The loophole, needless to say, has the liquor shop owners making merry while the general public suffers.

Courtesy: INN