‘Did you act on complaints against bar near school?’

The high court has ordered the state government to explain the steps it took over public complaints against the opening of a bar near a government school in southern Bengaluru.

The Kulume Beedi Residents’ Association, Doddakallasandra, has filed a petition against the establishment of an alcohol store just 20 metres from a government primary school in a residential locality.

According to the petition, residents had given a detailed representation/complaint to the authorities against the granting of a licence to the bar and restaurant. Citing section 5 of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, they contended that a liquor licence cannot be issued if the bar is to come up within 100 metres of a school.

The residents said the bar remains open from 8 am to 1 am, severely disturbing their peace of mind. What’s more, schoolchildren have to come across alcoholics every day.

Hearing the petition, a division bench of Chief Justice A S Oka and Justice H T Narendra Prasad ordered the government to seek an explanation from the authorities concerned why they failed to act on the residents’ complaints. The hearing has been adjourned for three weeks.