Aug 23, 2024 06:10 PM IST
The decision was also taken in the backdrop of the Ganjam hooch tragedy, in which at least two people were killed and over a dozen hospitalised
Bhubaneshwar: All dance bars across the state would be shut down, Odisha excise minister Prithviraj Harichandan said on Friday. He added that no liquor shops near religious institutions, schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will be allowed under the new liquor policy that is being drafted.
“The illegal liquor trade will be completely shut down within a year. We have started a drive to clean vices by removing bars and liquor shops near schools and colleges. We will raze the illegal liquor shops that had been allowed during the previous government,” Harichandan said.
The network of illegal trade will be completely wiped out in the state, he added.
The move has reportedly come just a few days after a bar girl in Bhubaneswar alleged that its owner had been forcing her to do illicit activities. The decision was also taken in the backdrop of the Ganjam hooch tragedy, in which at least two people were killed and over a dozen hospitalised.
Earlier, the opposition had brought an adjournment motion over the hooch tragedy. In his reply, the excise minister said that a new excise policy will be brought in taking into account ‘Odia Asmita’.
Welcoming the move, Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said the dance bars should be closed as the lives of youths and students are getting ruined. Bahinipati said that during the previous government, a lot of things were done for liquor only for revenue.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Saroj Padhy said, “Through the move, there would be a lot of check on such illegal activities. Everybody is welcoming the move. In the previous government, they were only concerned about increasing their revenue.”
