Dance Bars: Impact of Dance Bar Closures on Livelihood of Employees | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: State govt’s decision to close dance bars to preserve Odia Asmita (Odia identity) will jeopardise the livelihoods of not only female bar dancers but also hundreds of male employees working across the city, bar owners said at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Market insiders revealed that a dance bar, which employs at least 10 performers on an average, also hires twice as many male employees, who typically work as bartenders, waiters and bouncers.
“Odia Asmita is not affected in the bars. We are following all the rules and ensuring the safety of our employees as well as customers,” said Siba Prasad Mohanty, a dance bar owner, adding that they plan to meet the excise minister to discuss the issue.
Another dance bar owner, Raja Mahapatra, said the decision to close the establishments warrants a thorough review. “Even if the state govt disregards the revenue loss to the exchequer, the closure of the bars would lead to a loss of livelihood for hundreds of individuals,” said Mahapatra.
Employees of the dance bars have also expressed concerns about losing their jobs. “I have been working as a waiter at a dance bar in Laxmisagar for four years now. The closure of the bar would be a devastating blow to me,” said Chinmay Khuntia, a resident of Badagada.
Many people, however, cited several recent incidents at the dance bars to make a case for closing them down. These include the arrest of a dance bar owner for misconduct towards female employees, another owner’s misconduct towards female excise officials during a raid, and the suspicious death of a bar dancer here in May.
“We cannot deny that anything can happen in a state of intoxication. The bars are operating beyond their stipulated hours, as recently reported in the news. Incidents of misbehaviour and the death of a bar dancer are indeed concerning. It is a wise decision by the state govt to close the bars,” said social worker Alok Kar.
Md Imran Ali, co-founder of an organisation dedicated to combating substance addiction, also endorsed the decision to close the dance bars. “The closure of dance bars might have some impact on people addicted to substances. I hope that they will quit alcohol,” said Ali.
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