The Excise Department has asked various categories of Excise licence holders and bar owners to strictly follow fire safety measures on their premises in Udupi district in the wake of the recent fire tragedy at a bar in Mysuru.

Speaking at a training workshop on fire safety organised by the department for licence holders and bar owners at Udupi on Tuesday (June 23), Udupi Excise Deputy Commissioner T.M. Srinivas said it is the responsibility of every licencee to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents.

It has been noticed that some bars in the district are operating before and after the stipulated time, and more than 500 cases have been registered in the last one year regarding such violations. Complaints have also been received regarding overcharging, he said, cautioning that liquor should be sold as per the prices fixed by the government. Strict action would be taken in case of violations, he warned.

Mr. Srinivas said the liquor licence renewal process will begin from July, and this time, permission for renewal would be granted only after a comprehensive review. Officials from the fire and emergency services participated in the workshop and provided information on fire prevention measures and safety procedures to be followed in emergency situations. It was suggested that fire extinguishers should be installed in every bar and placed in places easily visible to customers.