Close liquor vend at Nawada metro station by Sep 11: Swaraj

The controversy over liquor vends in Delhi intensified today with Prashant Bhushan-led Swaraj Abhiyan giving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government time till September 11 to close one such shop near the Nawada metro station in Uttam Nagar here.
The ultimatum by the organisation was given at a public hearing held by it at Uttam Nagar, the Assembly constituency of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, against the liquor shop near the metro station.
According to the organisation, also led by former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav, people of the area, especially women, expressed deep discontent against the MLA because of the liquor vend.

The vend has become a nuisance for commuters, especially women, and the school situated nearby, it said in a statement.
Swaraj Abhiyan held the 'Jan Sunwai' today as part of its public hearings being conducted against various liquor vending shops across Delhi, where the vends have been opened without the consent of local residents.
It has condemned the presence of the Uttam Nagar liquor shop within less than fifty metres of a school.

"A school teacher reported that a complaint had been lodged earlier against the liquor shop owing to difficulties being faced by the students and teachers of the school but no action has ever be taken for it," it said.

A woman resident of the area said during the public hearing that it had become difficult to use gate no 3 of the metro station as it was next to the liquor shop as the people there engaged in eve-teasing and misbehaviour, the statement said.
"No liquor shops will be allowed to be opened without permission of women and local residents and Delhi will not be turned into a liquor market," rebel AAP MLA from Timarpur, Pankaj Pushkar, who was present at the public hearing was quoted as saying in the statement.
The earlier two public hearings were held at Kasturba Nagar and Karawal Nagar as part of Swaraj Abhiyan's campaign against the liquor policy of Delhi government, which has opened 399 new shops.

Yadav said the next Jan Sunvai will be held on September 4 near Jain Mandir in Model Town here.