pune persistent campaign for almost a year by the mahatma phule smarak bachao kriti samiti against a country liquor shop near the mahatma phule national memorial in ganj peth has finally paid offpune district collector madhukar kokate ordered a temporary closure of the shop on july 10 to protect the sanctity of the memorialin his order kokate has stated that the decision was taken to prevent any law and order problem and to ensure that peoples sentiments were not hurthe ordered that under section 142 of the bombay prohibition act 1949 and rule 27 of the maharashtra country liquor rules 1973 the shop owned by lk pardeshi be closed until further ordersthe collectors order also noted that the khadak police station in its letter sent in april 2002 had recommended the closure of the shop saying that local residents had registered complaints against it the police had recommended that the liquor shop be shifted to another placemeanwhile yogesh pingale convenor of the samiti has welcomed the collectors decision he pointed out that people visiting the liquor shop had harmed the sanctity of the national memorial which attracted a steady stream of visitors and tourists including foreignersthe action committee had organised agitations and morchas throughout the year to press for the closure of the shop he saidpingale said the government rules prohibited liquor shops within 100 metres from religious places we feel that the rule should be amended to include national memorials as well he said he pointed out that his committee had filed a petition before the district collector and the excise department when their earlier demands did not yield any resultspingale said that although the closure was temporary his committee would try its best to make it permanentthere is a liquor shop near the swatantryaveer savarkar memorial in jalgaon as well and we feel that liquor shops should not be permitted near such memorials he remarkedthe samiti convenor said his committee would send a memorandum to the state government demanding suitable amendments to the rule about location of liquor shops