PNS | DEHRADUN
Considering the rising number of road accidents due to drunk driving late at night and to maintain the law and peace in the district, the Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal has used the powers under section 59 of the Excise Manual and cancelled the practice of alcohol being served for one hour extra on weekends in hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs and other licensed businesses.
According to officials, this is the first instance in the State wherein a district magistrate has used the powers under this section of the Excise Manual to discontinue the long standing practice of allowing the serving of liquor for an additional hour on weekends. Now the liquor will be served till 11 PM as on weekdays. With orders to this effect being issued by the district magistate, legal action will be taken against any business found serving liquor beyond the permitted 11 PM, officials said.
In a related development, on the DM’s recommendation, the Excise commissioner HC Semwal has cancelled the 24-hour bar license issued earlier to the Hyatt Residency hotel. Before Bansal assumed charge as the DM, the Excise commissioner had allowed the establishment to operate its bar 24 hours in August this year. Following the cancellation of this permission by the commissioner, this bar too will remain open only till 11 PM.
It is pertinent to mention here that the district administration and police have stepped up action to check irresponsible alcohol consumption and drunk driving in the district considering a rise in road accidents in which drunk driving is suspected of being a factor.
