Stern action against pubs for violating norms: Srinivas Goud 

Hyderabad: Taking a serious note of violations committed by the managements of pubs in the city, Prohibition and Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud here on Saturday made it clear that no one would be spared if the department finds violations in pubs. “It’s the responsibility of pub owners to strictly adhere to norms. As per […]

Hyderabad: Taking a serious note of violations committed by the managements of pubs in the city, Prohibition and Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud here on Saturday made it clear that no one would be spared if the department finds violations in pubs.

“It’s the responsibility of pub owners to strictly adhere to norms. As per norms, the pubs must operate till 1 am on Friday and Saturday while 12 am during the remaining days,” he said after taking part in a meeting with the management of pubs on Saturday.

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The meeting assumed significance in the wake of seizure of drugs in a pub at Banjara Hills by the city police a few days ago.

During a month-long drive to be launched soon to check irregularities in pubs, star hotels, bars and restaurants, officials will focus on drugs, playing music beyond permissible decibels, running the establishment after closing hours and serving liquor to minors.

The managements that secured permission for supplying liquor for 24 hours should adhere to timing norms but playing music and organizing events should be stopped by 12 am at any cost. The management will face serious consequences in case of any deviation from rules.

To another question raised by a pub owner, the Minister asked the management to deploy sniffer dogs, if necessary, for checking the customers before allowing them onto the premises.

The excise department is invoking the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against the offenders, who were repeatedly involved in drugs cases, and some of them were also externed from the city limits. Stating that some management’s failed to mend their ways even after asking them to adhere to norms, he said the licences would be cancelled if the managements found to be violating norms.

The police and excise departments’ officials would be held responsible if any management found to be running the pub beyond the stipulated time. To a request from the managements that a constable can be deployed at each pub, the Minister rejected it saying that it would not be feasible.

“If something goes wrong at a pub, our staff has to face problem,” he said. Since the department has already intensified surveillance at pubs, a proposal was mooted to link CCTVs of pubs to mobile phones of excise officials for better surveillance.

After TRS came to power, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao first cracked the whip on clubs that encourage playing cards and later took measures to control the flow of illicit-distilled (ID) liquor.

“We are now focusing on wiping out the menace of drugs in the State,” he said. Goud said the Chief Minister instructed officials not to spare even those from the ruling party.

In coordination with the police, the excise department was conducting raids. “There is no place for those selling drugs in the State and we will not spare anyone who attempts to tarnish the image of Hyderabad,” he said.

Permission for pubs was only given in view of the visit of people from foreign countries to the city and there is no revenue generation from them.

NDPS cases booked from February 1 to April 7, 2022

Cases booked : 192
Persons arrested : 304
Persons’ boundover : 509
Vehicles seized : 75
Mobile phones seized : 09
Dry marijuana seized : 1,290 kgs
Marijuana plants seized : 65
Hashish oil seized : 4.29 kgs
Cocaine seized : 11.759 gms
MDMA seized : 1.002 gms
MDMA pills : 211
LSD blots : 35

*Pub managements and public can alert the department about drugs on toll-free number: 1800 425 2523

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