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5 months on, MC yet to respond on serving liquor in Company Bagh

AMRITSAR:Even after five months, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has not responded to a query of the Excise and Taxation Department if liquor can be served inside historical and protected monuments at Company Bagh.

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Tribune News Service 

Amritsar, November 20

Even after five months, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has not responded to a query of the Excise and Taxation Department if liquor can be served inside historical and protected monuments at Company Bagh. 

The questions are being raised on the MC for its alleged attempt to help the “illegal” private clubs by not responding to the Excise Department’s query. “The delay has been acting as privilege to the elite clubs inside the protected monuments,” said Kulwant Singh, one of the petitioners seeking removal of clubs from Company Bagh. 

However, clause 15 of an agreement (dated December 4, 2018) executed between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Punjab Government states that “all commercial activities, including serving of liquor, shall be banned by the second party that is the MC. Further, the second party should look into that no such activities are continued on the premises”.

A lot of communication between the MC and the Excise and Taxation Department had already done in April and May this year. The Excise and Taxation Department, in its letter dated April 24, had sought MC’s views on a complaint seeking a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor inside the historic park. 

The MC’s estate wing has admitted that an agreement was executed, but not mentioned whether the licences should be cancelled or not. On requesting anonymity, an MC official said the case had been marked to the law officer for his remark a few months ago. 

On August 2 contrary to the claims of the MC regarding the custodianship of Company Bagh, Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu had favoured the managements of the three clubs inside the garden and announced that the MC would support them to stay. 

Kulwant Singh from Amritsar Vikas Manch said, “The MC is deliberately delaying the response as officials work under political pressure and defy the directions of the court. When the Mayor is supporting the clubs, how officials can write to cancel the licence.”

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