New liquor shops in Bengal must maintain 500-metre gap from schools, religious places | India News
The West Bengal government has increased the necessary distance for new retail liquor outlets from educational institutions and holy places to 500 meters in urban and municipal areas and 1 km in other parts of the state, up from the former 300 meters, as per PTI.As per the recent notification given by the government, no new liquor licenses would be given within a 1 km distance of religious institutions, schools, and universities in rural and non-municipal areas, state Liquor Association Secretary Bijan Patra stated on Thursday.The government has kept the minimum distance at 500 meters from the religious places, schools, and educational insititutions for the areas under the Kolkata Municipal corporation (KMC) and other civic authorities, Bijan Patra added.However, he stated that Rule 8’s distance requirements won’t apply if an existing liquor store wishes to “shift” to a mall of any size.The prior framework required a minimum distance of 1,000 feet, or around 300 meters.Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari had already announced that his administration will not enable liquor sales within a 1 km radius of schools, universities, and shrines.
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Over 4,000 bars, off-shops, and liquor stores now operate within a 1-kilometer radius of these sensitive zones throughout the state; however, this new restriction will not affect already-existing establishments.In order to establish new offshops through bars, the new strategy also makes use of Section 4P of the excise act.However, some business owners have voiced reservations about the provision, claiming that because the state agency would keep a profit, it could not be advantageous for the liquor sector.
