By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 22: The BJP Mohila Morcha has welcomed the Gauhati High Court’s decision on banning the bars or liquor shops within 500 meters radius of educational institutions, religious places, hospitals, et al in the city.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, BJP Mohila Morcha State president Chikimiki Talukdar said the decision of the High Court on banning the bars or liquor shops in Guwahati was a very good one but the requests of some liquor traders and a section of businessmen made to the High Court to reconsider its decision was really unfortunate.

“Some sections of people are saying that the State Government is losing a substantial amount of excise revenue generated from liquor sale after the High Court’s order. The State Government can earn revenue from other options and it is not mandatory for the government to sale liquor for earning revenue,” Talukdar said.

Talukdar further stated that the government should not issue new licences to people for doing liquour business in the State.

The Gauhati High Court recently directed the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration to close down all pubs, bars and liquor shops located within a 500-metre radius of hospitals, dispensaries, nursing homes, religious and educational buildings, and courts and tribunals in the city.

The directive by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was based on a petition filed by Arun Pathak who challenged an order passed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kamrup (Metropolitan) directing temporary closure of his bar following a public complaint.