NILGIRIS: A bar and store room of a hotel at Masinagudi in the Nilgiris district was sealed by the officials of the Prohibition and Excise Department on Tuesday night.
During the inspection, the staff of the hotel was found selling liquor and beer to outsiders on retail.
On December 1, 2023, the Madras High Court had ordered Nilgiris district collector P Aruna and the officials of the Prohibition and Excise department to carry out frequent inspection of bars attached to hotels and lodges across the district and take action by sealing bars if liquor and beer were sold to outsiders illegally.
The high court has given the order considering the welfare of wild animals as tipplers throw bottles in open areas in the surroundings of Masinagudi and pose risks to wildlife, especially elephants.
“After getting a tip-off from locals about the illegal liquor sales, we noticed the illegal sales directly and investigated with the manager of the Raising Sun Hotels Private Limited that has an FL-3 licence which allows consumption of liquor and beer within the bar. However, they were selling to outsiders. He has accepted the offence.
Based on that we have sealed the bar and store room on Tuesday 10pm,” said an official of the Prohibition and Excise department on the action. The district collector warned that stringent action would be taken against hotels and lodge owners along with sealing of the FL-2 licence club bars and FL-3 licence hotel bars if they were found selling liquor and beer to outsiders in retail. The Prohibition and Excise department official also said that another bar that was functioning in the same area does not sell liquor and beer to outsiders.