In a remarkable turn of events, a five-year-old student has taken the initiative to approach the Allahabad High Court regarding a liquor shop situated near his school in Kanpur. This bold move, carried out through a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the student’s father, highlights the young petitioner’s concerns about the adverse impact of the liquor shop on the daily lives of his fellow students and nearby residents.
The petitioner, Atharv, currently enrolled in kindergarten at Seth MR Jayapuriya School in Azad Nagar, voiced his distress over the presence of the liquor shop in close proximity to the educational institution. Represented by his advocate father, Prasoon Dixit, Atharv has named several authorities in the petition, including the Chief Secretary of the Excise Department, Excise Commissioner of Lucknow, DM (Licensing Authority) Kanpur Nagar, Excise Officer Kanpur, and Liquor Shop Operator Gyanendra Kumar.
The crux of the petition revolves around the contention that the license renewal of the liquor shop, granted after the establishment of the school, is illegitimate and detrimental to the welfare of students and residents alike. Atharv’s advocate argued before the court that the liquor shop has garnered infamy as a gathering spot for antisocial elements, leading to disturbances in the vicinity. The petitioner expressed concerns about encountering drunkards and being exposed to vulgar language, creating an unsuitable environment for education.
According to reports, Atharv confided in his father about the distressing situation, prompting the filing of the PIL to seek judicial intervention. The Allahabad High Court, upon hearing the case, has sought a response from the Excise Department regarding the renewal of the liquor shop’s license despite the existence of the school.
The school, catering to students from kindergarten to Class 9 and accommodating nearly 475 students, serves as the backdrop for this legal battle initiated by a young petitioner advocating for a safer and more conducive learning environment.
Earlier attempts to address the issue through the Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) portal, a platform for complaint resolution in Uttar Pradesh, yielded responses from the excise department asserting that the liquor shop maintained a considerable distance of 20 to 30 meters from the school premises. Furthermore, the department highlighted the shop’s longstanding operation of around 30 years, predating the establishment of the school in 2019.
The Allahabad High Court, referencing a Supreme Court directive, emphasized the importance of maintaining a distance of 100 meters between liquor shops and sensitive locations such as places of worship, schools, hospitals, factories, bazaars, or residential colonies. This legal precedent underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for adherence to regulatory measures designed to safeguard the welfare of communities.
The case is scheduled for further hearing on March 13, signifying the beginning of a legal process that has captured the attention of the entire city. As discussions surrounding the case continue to reverberate, the outcome of this PIL holds significant implications for the regulation of liquor establishments near educational institutions and the protection of children’s rights to a safe and nurturing environment for learning.