Delhi govt asks bars to promote 'responsible drinking' ahead of New Year celebrations

New Delhi: Ahead of New Year celebrations, the Delhi government has asked city’s restaurants and bars to promote “responsible drinking” by serving liquor to “a limit” keeping customer safety in mind and even arrange cabs for those who are not in a position to drive. [caption id=“attachment_1979889” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Delhi government has asked bars to promote ‘responsible drinking’. Reuters[/caption] “Persons, who consume alcohol beyond their capacity, may often cause a safety threat to their own lives as well as others on roads… To avoid this, we have decided to promote the concept of ‘responsible drinking’…,” Excise Commissioner Neeraj Semwal told PTI. According to the department, under this concept, it has asked the owners of resto-bars to serve liquor to their customers till “a limit”. “There are several road accidents which involve drunk driving and in view of this, we have asked resto-bar owners that they should serve alcohol to their customers till a limit as it should be their moral responsibility. “If a customer, who is alone, was not in a situation to walk or drive, they should then arrange a taxi for him or her so that they could not commit an act which endanger safety of public on the city’s roads,” he said, adding this concept will continue after New Year celebrations. An assistant sub-inspector and a constable of Delhi Police were on December 14 mowed down by a “highly inebriated” driver of a cab in Kalindi Kunj area of south-east Delhi. In August this year, the Transport Department had suspended 699 driving licences for a year for drunk driving, citing that these offenders may lead to traffic accidents in future endangering their own lives and that of other road users. PTI