Residents win battle against toddy shop at Muvattupuzha's Marady

Muvattupuzha: The State Excise Commissioner has revoked the licence for a proposed toddy shop at Marady, marking the culmination of a month-long public agitation against the outlet.
The licence, granted on June 15 for the outlet in Ward 5 of Marady panchayat, was revoked by State Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao after an official inquiry found it had been sanctioned in violation of statutory distance norms.

The proposed outlet had sparked strong opposition from local residents, who objected to its location in a densely populated residential area close to a settlement colony, places of worship and educational institutions. As the agitation gathered momentum, protesters erected a makeshift camp in front of the premises to prevent the toddy shop from opening. The protest, which continued for more than 30 days, culminated in the cancellation of the licence.

Earlier, Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Congress block committee president Sabu John had submitted a memorandum to the Excise Minister, alleging that the licence had been issued in violation of the rules and that the outlet would be detrimental to public interest and public order.

Acting on the complaint, the Deputy Excise Commissioner conducted an inquiry, which found that the proposed toddy shop was situated just 43 metres from a place of worship. Under the rules, toddy shops cannot function within 400 metres of places of worship or educational institutions. Based on the findings, the Excise Commissioner revoked the licence under Rule 5(19), citing a serious violation of the statutory provisions.

The order, however, allows the licensee to apply for permission to shift the toddy shop to another suitable building within the licensed range, subject to compliance with all legal requirements. The Deputy Excise Commissioner has been directed to ensure strict implementation of the order.