No new liquor shops in Delhi this year: Kejriwal

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) No new liquor shops will come upin Delhi this year and mohalla sabhas will be empowered toshut existing neighbourhood vends if there are complaints of"nuisance", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced today. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the process todecide on shutting a shop will be initiated once 10 per centvoters of a mohalla sabha submit a written complaint in thisregard. "Many people are troubled by liquor vends in theirlocalities as people drink publicly, create nuisance. Womenfeel unsafe to venture out as they feel unsafe in such anenvironment. So we have taken these two decisions," Kejriwaltold a press conference here. The decision came amid a campaign by Yogendra Yadav andPrashant Bhushan-led Swaraj Abhiyan against "proliferation" ofliquor vends in the city. It claims that "58" liquor vendshave come up in the city since last February. Sisodia said that once the written complaint comes, apublic meeting of the mohalla sabha will be called whosequorum (minimum presence required) will have to be 15 per centof the total number of voters of that area including at least33 per cent women. "If two-third members present in a meeting decide to shutdown a shop then it will have to be shifted. But even then,the members of the area where it is to be shifted will have toapprove any such move," Sisodia said. He also said that owners and managers of liquor vendswould be acted against if there are reports of nuisance in thevicinity of their stores. The Delhi government approved the formation of 2,972mohalla sabhas in June, describing it as a step towardsstrengthening local governance. PTI BUN/SBR RCJ ZMNRCJ