Excise wing acts tough on liquor consumption at dhabas

To check nuisance by drunkards at neighbourhood eateries, the Delhi government’s Excise Department has sprung into action to ensure that dhabawalas don’t allow their premises to be used for liquor consumption.

The department has also issued instructions to all eating joints to put up signboards against drinking of liquor.

It has also issued a circular informing all eatery owners to strictly enforce the ban on alcohol consumption in their premises.

The dhabawalas have been told to display in capital English letters saying “Drinking of liquor is not permitted in the premises.”

A senior functionary in the office of Deputy Commissioner (Excise) Praveen Mishra said: “The instructions are going to be circulated in all districts.”

“It is now the responsibility of all dhabawalas to put up signboards in their premises at a point where it will easily be visible to the customers,” he said.

Display boards

The Excise Department has also mandated that for the sake of uniformity across the city, display boards should be two feet by two feet in dimensions.

Sources in the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office said the Excise Department was given the instruction for the signboards at dhabas by the Public Grievance Commission (PGC).

“An instruction by the PGC was issued to the excise department in September to sensitise the dhabawalas to check alcohol consumption on streets,” said an Excise Department official.

Several public complaints of liquor consumption near dhabhas and eateries were received by the PGC and in view of these the Excise Department was roped in.

Ram Vilas, a dhabawala in central Delhi’s Paharganj, said: “Some customers sit in their vehicles and consume liquor in their vehicles parked near eateries. Eatery owners cannot be held responsible for checking this.”

Sources in the Excise Department said staff limitation in the Department poses a problem in field checks to ensure that all dhabawalas put up signboards prohibiting liquor consumption and strictly follow the instructions.

“A part of the responsibility of checking liquor consumption on streets near dhabas lies with the local police,” said an official.