The two liquor outlets are right inside the 85-acre RMC yard, which houses nearly 2,000 shops. As per the rules, “...no site, shop or shop-cum-godown, in the market yard shall be allotted either on lease-cum-sale basis or leave and licence basis to a person or an organisation… not engaged either in the marketing of notified agricultural produces or the allied activities connected with agriculture, horticulture or animal husbandry except for establishing only STD booths or for construction of common amenities for the market users.”
However, when questioned, K P Rajagopal, Chairman RMC Yard said, “I assumed office on April, 25, 2009. For several years the RMC yard was without an elected body and was managed by administrators. Licence to these two bars might have been issued during that period. Though the bars are in the premises of the yard, the building that houses them is private. Thereby, it is not in our jurisdiction to exercise control over them.
Moreover, unless a complaint is lodged against the existence of bars no action can be initiated.”
The two bars have been operating within yard premises for the last 15 years. So far nobody has complained about any inconvenience caused by them, hence initiating action would be uncalled for, informed Excise Inspector (Mahalakshmi Layout) Thippeswamy.
For loaders and unloaders in the yard, who frequent these bars, consumption of liquor is a way to beat stress and relax after the day’s hard labour. What might seem as a violation as per the rulebook serves thousands of workers, for whom liquor provides a way out of their dreary and hard existence, though temporarily.
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