The Hindu : Karnataka News : Cheers! minimum age for consuming liquor stays

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Friday, Jun 17, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Cheers! minimum age for consuming liquor stays

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: There is no proposal before the State Government to increase the minimum age for consumption of liquor, which is presently 21 years.

Recently, the Maharashtra Government hiked the minimum age for consumption of liquor from 21 to 25 years.

Addressing presspersons after a meeting with officials and inspectors of the department here on Thursday, Minister for Excise M.P. Renukacharya said: “There is no proposal before the Government to increase the minimum age for consumption of liquor. The existing minimum of age of 21 years will continue.”

A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, stated that the earliest age at which alcohol is consumed has changed significantly — from 28 years in 1980 to 18 years in 2010. The survey revealed that over 50 per cent of regular alcohol users fall in the category of hazardous drinking, and the use of alcohol was increasing disproportionately in the younger age groups.

Pistols

The department has decided to provide 450 pistols to officials of the rank of Inspector and above to confront bootleggers. The Home Department's Procurement Committee has been asked to supply the arms to the department. A team of officials were pelted with stones by bootleggers when they tried to raid an illicit liquor manufacturing unit in Kharvi village in Belgaum taluk, the Minister said.

The Minister rapped the police for harassing owners of bars in the city for employing women bartenders. The Department has not permitted bars and restaurant owners to employ bartenders. They obtained the right to hire bartenders following the Supreme Court and the Karnataka High Court striking down a provision related to banning employing of bartenders, he said.

There are nearly 800 bars and restaurants in the city and only 48 have employed women bartenders to supply liquor.

The Minister said the department officials would pitch in only if there were cases of violation of licence conditions by owners of bars and restaurants.

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