Imphal, February 28: Taking serious note of the vice that have been going on behind the curtains and inside the cabins of seedy restaurants that have sprung up all over the place, the proscribed KYKL has ordered the closure of such restaurants with effect from 7 am of tomorrow (March 1).In a statement, the outfit warned that restaurant owners who do not heed the diktats of the KYKL will be awarded capital punishment, while those visiting such restaurants will be punished so severely that they will not have the dignity to live in society (Hingna-hingna siraba mee).

The outfit acknowledged that the closure of the restaurants will affect the livelihood of some 100/200 people, but such a step will mean saving the lives of lakhs of youngsters.

Henceforth, all restaurants with cabins, cafes, coffee-corners, coffer bars and coffee shops should close down, said the KYKL but added that big restaurants opened in big hotels can carry on.

Due to the lack of employment avenues the unemployment rate has been increasing steadily down the years, said KYKL and added that this has prompted a number of educated unemployed youths to look for avenues to earn their livelihood.

Some open pan dukans, some resort to petty trading, some take up poultry farming, stop payment scheme, private scheme, open taxi services while some of the recalcitrant indulge in drug trade, noted the outfit.

Opening restaurants is also one such step to eke out a living, it observed.

Moreover agricultural activities no longer provide the needed incentives for youngsters to take up this vocation, said KYKL.

There is no dearth of customers for the seedy and darkened cabin rooms and when two young people are given all the privacy in such rooms/cabins, there is no reason why they will not be tempted to lose their morales, observed KYKL.

Such restaurants have become the grave yards of quite a number of young and innocent boys and girls.

Such darkened cabins also offer the perfect place for the sons of some moneyed people to seduce the young, innocent girls, said KYKL further.

Not only are these places giving ample room to youngsters to lose their morales, but this has also contributed to the growing cases of HIV/AIDS in the State.

In the past KYKL had asked all restaurant owners not to open cabins or make sure that at least 8 tables can be placed in a room.

Such messages have been conveyed through the media as well as the Restaurant Owners Association but to no avail, said the outfit.

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