Chandigarh administration’s directive to pubs and bars in the city asking them to install breathalysers to ensure alcohol intake “within legal limits” was a mistake, said a senior officer from the administration before withdrawing the order on Friday.
The excise and taxation department had also asked restaurants and hotels serving liquor to ensure that the customers’ alcohol intake was “within legal limits”.
“In order to make people aware about the ill-effects of consumption of alcohol more than the legally prescribed limit and to restrict them to intake alcohol within the legal limits, you are hereby directed to install alcohol breath analysers in your licenced premises within seven days from the issuance of this letter,” said the order issued by the Chandigarh excise and taxation department on Thursday.
Hoteliers had cried foul over the directive and reasoned about how they can ensure their customers take alcohol within the permissible limits. They had also dubbed the move as impractical.
The excise department also said that the move was aimed at curbing cases of drunken driving and any hotelier who voluntarily wishes to implement such guidelines is welcome to do so.
