Making neera a forbidden drink outside shops

Taking neera home is an offence, says a flex board

March 06, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:47 am IST

Kochi, Kerala, 05/03/2015: A flex board displayed at a Neera outlet has warned customers against taking neera in bottles. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat


Kochi, Kerala, 05/03/2015: A flex board displayed at a Neera outlet has warned customers against taking neera in bottles. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat


Taking a bottle of neera home for sharing the sweetness of the drink with one’s family members or friends may bring you in conflict with the law.

The neera outlet functioning from the Mobility Hub, Vyttila, has cautioned those who are eager to share the drink with their dear ones, which is actively promoted by the State government, through a flex board conspicuously displayed at the shop.

“Finish your drink at the shop itself. Don’t take neera in bottles or attempt to take it outside the shop, which is a punishable act,” reads the flex board.

The warning comes at a time when the drink produced from the coconut flowers is projected as the energy drink of the State, which would also help the coconut farmers and support the economy of the State. In an apparent attempt to promote the drink, the Chief Minister and the Excise Minister were recently seen sharing the drink at the venue of a conference.

Playing with fire

It’s time for city multiplexes to step up their fire-fighting mechanism. A fire audit to be carried out soon by the Department of Fire and Rescue Services will check whether the managements comply with the fire fighting norms.

The firemen will identify the loopholes in the fire safety mechanism and recommend remedial measures. An application for renewal of the NOC can be rejected, if the Fire and Rescue Services personnel detect alterations to the building from the approved plan. Lapses in the fire fighting systems installed in the multiplex could also invoke action.

The rules recommend that multiplexes should have fire alarm system, fire extinguishers, sprinkler and hydrant systems. All hydrants should have independent hoses and spray nozzles with length of each hose sufficient to cover the beat circumference of a hydrant.

Some of the other requirements include computerised public address system, breathing apparatuses, emergency lights and adequate evacuation facilities. Staircases should be of enclosed type to keep them free of smoke. Multiplexes should also have trained manpower to check the outbreak of fire and manage it in the wake of an emergency.

A nasty surprise

Whether or not they show the same enthusiasm in clearing decades-old cases piled up in stations, the police definitely have a trick or two up their sleeves when it comes to casting their net wide to tap finable offences.

For some time now, drunk driving and helmet-less and seatbelt-less driving have been the milch cow of the police. A prominent addition to that kitty is the speeding offence that brings in good ‘revenue.’

Speedsters who derive a thrill by zooming at break-neck speed along the Container Terminal Road had a nasty surprise for them on Thursday.

Usually, one police team with the radar is stationed along the stretch between Moolamppilly and Cheranalloor. However, on Thursday, the police deployed two teams on the road, separated by just about a kilometre. Regular speedsters, who have a clear idea about the usual position of the police team, rode at the normal speed till the checkpoint and then stepped on the gas, only to be waved down by the second team further ahead.

Though some the drivers tried to hoodwink the police by slowing down at the last minute, they had already been recorded by the radar and were left with only two options – either to shell out the fine on the spot or be slapped with a petty case to be settled in court. Unsurprisingly, there were few takers for the second option.

The police were not complaining either, with their kitty well filled.

K.S. Sudhi, G. Krishnakumar and M.P. Praveen

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