Bhubaneswar: Following a High Court order, the state government has allowed resumption of bar dancing pubs in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and issued guidelines to safeguard dignity of women at such places.
The excise department has recently allowed licenced foreign liquor ‘on’ shops to engage women in musical programme and orchestra at the shops, sources said Friday.
In December, 2015, the High Court had ordered the state government to allow operation of bars in Commissionerate area. However, engagement of women would be done as per the terms and conditions laid down in a Supreme Court verdict of 2014 while disposing of a Maharastra case.
The apex court in October, 2015 put on hold a controversial law banning dance bars in Maharastra. The bars not only provided employment to thousands of women, but also entertained connoiseurs of liquor. The court, however, said the dignity of women should be protected and ensured by Maharastra police.
As per the guidelines, the Board of Revenue would permit licenced bars to engage women and the concerned applicant has to provide identity proof along with other details of the women for approval.
Further, the applicant has to seek a licence from Commissionerate police under Orissa Urban Police Act 2003 and the CP would ensure that the terms and conditions of the licence granted to the bar owners must be complied with, the guidelines said.
The concerned bar owners have to display the licence prominently on the wall and set up separate hygienic toilets and locker facilities for the women employees. The decible limits of the musical system installed at the bar must be in conformity with the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
The government has also instructed the dance bars to install CCTVs at appropriate places to ensure that the facility is not tampered with to verify the recorded evidence by the police and excise authorities from time to time. The bar owners have to issue identity cards to each female employee who have to wear it during duty hours.
