Children Get Liquor Shop Shut Near School

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A letter to the Collector by Ilanthendral and her brother Arivarasan has got the liquor shop near their school shut.

Two school children in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district got a liquor shop shut near their school.

This happed after the siblings S M Ilanthendral (9) and Arivarasan (6) submitted a petition to the District Collector during the weekly grievances meet. They raised the issue of public nuisance and safety of children and pleaded that the shop be shut before their classes resume in November.

Ilanthendral said “Many people squat there and drink. They use foul language. We are scared“.

The Collector Ms P Ramana Saraswathi ordered immediate closure and shifting of the shop. The Chief Secretary Mr V Irai Anbu too had intervened to urgently respond to the children’s plea. Ms Saraswathi explained “The school is beyond 100 metres, not a violation but we have ordered immediate shifting“.

The parents of the children are booksellers. Ilanthendral aspires to become a Collector to help others. She appealed to Chief Minister M K Stalin to shutdown all liquor shops in the state. “I am worried, alcoholics even make their children work or beg and this will change if liquor shops are shut“.

The state government earns a revenue of around 34000 crore rupees (45 million USD).

The two children are being celebrated in Tamil Nadu. Many feel their success would motivate more children to take up issues that impact them.