The Raigad district collector has rejected permission granted for opening a liquor shop in a residential complex in Panvel, following protests from women residents, housing society associations, and activists.
“We received a communiqué from the excise department in response to our Right to Information (RTI) query,” said social activist B.N. Kumar, convenor of the Alert Citizens’ Team (ACT), which organized a silent human chain protest on July 28 at the Enkay Heritage Cooperative Housing Society. Many women, children, and men participated in the protest.
Kumar also emailed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, drawing attention to the protests and urging the government to consider the concerns of local women. Residents feared a potential law-and-order situation if the liquor shop were allowed to open, especially since it would be located near the building’s main entrance.
Over 50 women signed a memorandum to the Chief Minister, which ACT forwarded. The CM’s office referred the matter to the State Excise Department, which instructed its Raigad division to investigate. Kumar followed up with an RTI application to the Excise Department, seeking the status of the emails. The district excise office in Alibaug responded, detailing the proceedings at the district collector’s office.
Meanwhile, the residents’ association, led by advocate Jaysing Shere, made a formal representation to District Collector Kisan N. Jawale, who ordered a site inspection.
The excise team reported that the proposed liquor shop was 144 meters from the entrance of the renowned Sai Baba temple and that no significant hindrances, such as statues of national figures, educational institutions, or the state highway, were nearby.
However, the collector took into account the "severe opposition" from the women and ultimately rejected the proposal for the liquor shop, which was to be run by Pravin Vijay Rekhi and Mukesh Tekchand Motwani, according to the RTI response.
Residents raised concerns about potential issues arising from the shop. “Some unscrupulous consumers drink liquor near the shops and make inappropriate comments towards women and girls, leading to conflicts,” said society general secretary Naresh Gaikwad. A housewife added, “We already face trouble from drunkards in the area, and we don’t want this menace spreading to our compound.”
The liquor shop was slated to be relocated to Enkay Heritage Cooperative Housing Society from a building under redevelopment.
Gaikwad and Shere thanked the media for highlighting the protests, saying the coverage was instrumental in their success. Kumar added that the decision was a victory of collective efforts by all involved.