Karkala: Bar licence near school limits, students protest on Independence Day

Karkala : Students enrolled at Government Model Higher Primary School in Bajagoli, situated within Karkala taluk, utilized their Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday to stage a protest right outside their school premises. Their concern, shared by parents and guardians, arises from the recent granting of a CL-7 license by the excise department in April 2023, permitting the establishment of a ‘Bar and Restaurant’ directly opposite their school.

Harish D Salian, the individual responsible for seeking the CL-7 license, aimed to introduce liquor service within his lodge and remarkably secured approval merely three months after application submission, despite encountering robust opposition.

Officials from the excise department have stated that they meticulously adhered to regulations, ensuring that the distance between the school’s entrance gate and the designated Bar and Restaurant structure met the stipulated 102 meters. According to the Karnataka Excise Licences (General Conditions) Rules of 1967, a minimum distance of 100 meters is mandatory for such permissions, and officials affirmed that these guidelines were followed diligently.

However, Vincent D’Souza, a member of the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC), who joined the parents’ protest, contests this assertion. He points out that the actual aerial gap between the school and the Bar-licensed complex measures less than 40 meters. Previous instances of suspected political influence upon the excise department prompted similar protests from concerned parties.

The school in question, offering education in Kannada and English mediums, caters to 239 students spanning from Class 1 to Class 7, including 51 pupils in the LKG and UKG sections. Despite efforts to bring the matter to the attention of Minister for Women and Child Development, Laxmi Hebbalkar, parental apprehensions persist regarding the potential dominance of liquor interests over the educational well-being of their children.

Udupi District Commissioner, Dr. Vidyakumari, has vowed to scrutinize the procedures followed by Nallur Gram Panchayat, the local administrative body overseeing the area (State Highway 37) where the proposed establishment is situated.

Dr. Vidyakumari also expressed her intent to escalate the concerns of local residents and parents to the commissioner of the excise department, advocating for the license’s revocation. The authority to cancel such licenses rests with the Commissioner of the Excise Department.

Efforts to contact Minister for School Education and Literacy, Madhu Bangarappa, were unsuccessful despite repeated attempts.