Respondent authorities directed to carry out inspection in Nadia’s Taghoria village

Kolkata: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking closure of a liquor shop in Taghoria village of Nadia district due to its close proximity with the two primary schools and a higher secondary school, the Calcutta High Court recently directed the respondent authorities to conduct an inspection and examine whether there is

any violation.

The petitioner claimed that for the past 10-15 years the country liquor shop, which is within 300 metre of a primary school, had become a nuisance for the women of the remote village as their husbands and school-going boys were becoming addicted to liquor resulting in perversive activities. The matter was heard by the Division Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya.

The advocate for the licensee submitted that the liquor shop in question has been in the same location since 1945 and the agitation by the villages is selective since no objection was raised when another liquor shop was located nearby.

The licensee had, earlier, approached the Single Bench of Calcutta High Court. During the pendency of the show cause issued by the Additional District Magistrate (G) and Collector of Excise, Nadia, the shop, which was closed down after commotion ensued following recovery of a dead body from the shop precinct, was allowed to open.

In March, an order containing conditions which needed to be complied by the licensee was laid down. The petitioners claimed that despite representations made by the petitioners and the teacher-in-charge of primary school, no action was taken to close down the liquor shop. However, since the matter is pending before the authorities, the court directed for inspection of the area.