Noida: A liquor shop operating beneath the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) office and observation home in Phase 2 has been vacated, days after TOI highlighted the issue. The shop, Jhonnies House, was shifted to Sector 78 after a notice asked it to vacate the premises.“We closed the shop on Oct 23 and moved it to Sector 78. A notice was given to the shop owner. Following that, the premises are open for rent,” district excise officer Subodh Kumar said.The outlet stood barely 30 steps from the JJB office and the observation home, where children in conflict with the law are housed. Residents had also complained about the shop’s late operating hours and the presence of people consuming alcohol in the vicinity, adding to concerns about the safety and dignity of the children.TOI reported on Oct 6 that the JJB had written to the district magistrate on July 6, seeking immediate action after an inspection by board member Arun Kumar Gupta on July 3. It cited the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016, which prohibit liquor and other intoxicant outlets within 200m of child-care institutions and offices of juvenile justice bodies.However, during a ground check, TOI found that Jhonnies House was visible barely 30 steps from the board’s office. The children could see bottles displayed on the shelves and men gathering at the shop till late at night.Arun Kumar Gupta, a member of the JJB, welcomed the administration’s action, saying the shop’s presence had raised serious concerns about the environment around the institution.“It is a relief to see that the shop has been closed. It was right underneath the shelter home, and children could see it from their windows. They are already in conflict with the law, and such things can influence them further,” Gupta said.He also pointed to incidents involving people drinking near the premises and throwing glass bottles onto the roof of the observation home. Such incidents, he said, raised concerns about the safety of children staying at the facility and the suitability of the surroundings.When TOI first published the report, the excise department had said the process of shifting the shop would be completed within a month but the results have come in less than 20 days.
