Even though the Constitution has granted the citizens the fundamental right to live a decent life and ensure the safety of women and children, the Maharani Bar and Restaurant functioning in a General Administration (GA) Department plot in a residential area in Kharavel Nagar here has made life hell for them and brought misery.
Drunken brawls and frequent law and order situations due to the menace of tipplers has compounded the misery of local residents of the colony in the heart of the city.
The bar has been given licence violating Section 34 of the Excise Act which prohibits such outlets in residential areas, near educational institutions and religious places.
But the aforesaid establishment is located at a stone’s-throw distance from the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, the Nilakanteswar Temple, the Mahabodhi Society and Akhandmani Temple in the area.
Besides, the Maharani Bar and Restaurant on plot no 51 SCR corresponding revenue plot no 51 khata no 441 in KharAvel Nagar Mouza in Unit-3 here has been granted licence violating the GA Department guidelines which says explosives, liquor, chemical and other hazardous activities cannot be carried out in its residential plots.
A local resident and a lawyer, Manas Mohanty, said, “There is a fundamental right for citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution to enjoy a peaceful, dignified life without any encroachment on their privacy and to live life sans public nuisance surrounding them.”
“It is, however, most unfortunate to find in the instant case that the Government, which is supposed to take care of its citizens, ensure their good health and a peaceful and decent life, has placed the said fundamental right of the citizens far below the so-called right to trade in liquor by opening a bar in a purely residential area,” Mohanty added.
He further said the Excise and the GA Departments decision to permit the bar in the area has jepoardised the safety, security, health, fundamental right to life, peace, security of children, women and girls, which is destructive of the rule of law.
Above all, recently, the Orissa High Court has vacated a stay on WP(C) 2597/2016 and misc case 2429 / 2016 by the bar management not to shift the bar from its present location and asked the Excise Department to seal the bar but the department is dragging its feet and the GA Department has remained a silent spectator.
This is only one of the cases out of many in which bars have mushroomed in GA residential plots in the city, in which fundamental rights of the residents have been sacrificed at the altar of revenue by the administration.