Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Nuisance in public places must not be allowed

With the announcement of liberal Excise policy by Delhi Government last week, which allows the sale of liquor in Malls also, it appeared that it sent out message among the Delhiites that Government is only concerned with boosting its finance by encouraging drinking while driving and in public places. It threw very poor light on the Delhi government. Realising the negative impact of last week’s excise policy on public peace and tranquility , Finance Minister Dr. A K Walia has reportedly mooted a stricter Excise Bill to be introduced in the winter session of the assembly to curb public nuisance by drinkers in open public spaces and in car and train by imposing heavy monitory penalty. The tendency of drinking has risen so steeply among the majority of youngsters in Delhi that a peace loving and law abiding person can not pass the roads by the side of which are liquor stalls are running. The space in front of liquor shops are so crowded during the evening that it has become a great problem to cross that area. So far Delhi has been guided by Punjab Excise Act under which a person can be fined Rs. 200 for driking in public places. But now the Delhi Finance Minister has taken a right decision by deciding to impose stricter laws and heavier financial penalty to curb public nuisance caused by drinkers in public place through a Delhi Excise Bill under which now the fined for drinking in public place has risen from Rs. 200 to 5,000 and that may go up to Rs. 10000 and a jail term of 3 months. And if the liquor shop opwners serve liquor in open public places without authorised licence, they would be fined Rs. 50, 000. The proposed Delhi Excise Bill will curb many other social vices and rising crimes of various types caused by drinking heavily in public places . Now anyone found drinking in car on Delhi roads will be fined Rs. 5000. The Delhi Excise Bill must be passed and there should be no delay in the enact ment of the Bill. Delhi is going to host Commonwealth Games next year and the thousands of foreign tourists will descend on the capital and if the present position of the unregulated crowd cotinued to flaunt liquor bottles before liquor stalls by the side of diffeent roads, what impression would they gather about Delhi can be easily imagined. So any action which amounts to public nuisance in the national capital Delhi must be curbed and the Bill propsed to be piloted in the Delhi Assembly regarding Delhi Excise Act by Finance Minister Dr. A K Walia is most welcome. Dr. Walia must be credited for taking initiative for curbibg nuisance in public places in Delhi.

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