Bhubaneswar: It seems nightlife in Smart city is set to get spiced up again as the Excise Department on Monday granted permission to as many as seven bars to hold music and dance programmes by engaging bar dancers.
However, the bars will have to strictly adhere to the guidelines laid under the Excise Act 44(5) to organise such dance and musicial performances. It is pertinent to mention here that earlier restrictions were clamped on several dance bars following violations of license conditions.
In a letter to the Khurda Collector, the Excise Commissioner has clearly laid down the conditions before granting permission to seven bars. These include:
- The premises shall be fixed with closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras at appropriate places with appropriate mechanism to ensure that the said facilities cannot be tampered with and such recorded evidence can be verified by Police and Excise Officials, from time to time, and the associated Hard Disc memory in such CCTV must have the capacity to store data for a period of three months.
- The performers should neither wear clothes exposing the body nor should they wear provocative clothes
- The dance bars should not engage women in musical or dance programmes, who are below 21 years
- The performance stage should be bounded with a railing of 3 feet height adjacent to the dance stage with minimum five feet distance between the railing and the seats for customers
- A register shall be maintained at the premises by the licensee to keep entries of names and address of women performing in the musical or dance programme or orchestra every day.
- If the dancers are to be awarded, there should be a ban on going near them or showering money on them. If any money awarded is intended to be given, the same can only be collected in the name of Manager of the dancer concerned or to be handed over to the manager.
- Adequate private security measures must be taken by the licensee to prevent sexual or other harassment in any form of any woman engaged.
- The licensee must ensure the safety n engaged in his ON shop by providing free and suitable travel arrangements to her place of residence.
The notice, however, said that if the bars breach any of the terms or conditions, the permission would be cancelled and necessary action will be taken.