Team Herald
CURCHOREM/PONDA: Liquor outlet owners from Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem have appealed to the government to approach the Supreme Court seeking one year time period to implement its directions banning liquor outlets within 500 meters of State and National highways.
This appeal was made during a meeting of liquor outlet owners association held at Sarvodaya School hall, Curchorem, on Thursday.
Addressing the meeting, All Goa Bar and Restaurant Owners Association President Michael Carrasco informed that all the liquor outlet owners associations have merged to become the All Goa Bar and Restaurant Owners Association.
He urged all liquor outlet owners, both affected and unaffected, to join the newly formed association to demand the government to intervene and find the solution at the earliest to save the outlets affected by the Supreme Court order.
“We are moving throughout the State to create awareness among the liquor vendors, so that, together we can approach the government with our grievances irrespective which party comes to power,” Carrasco said.
All Goa Liquor Traders Association Dattaprasad Naik said that according to the government survey 3179 parties will be affected due to the SC order including 750 wine shops affiliated to his association.
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, who attended the meeting, said, “I will fight to give you justice irrespective whether I will be in the ruling party or not.”
Meanwhile, addressing the press at Kavlem panchayat hall, Carrasco said that although both the Goa Advocate General and Attorney General have maintained that the SC order would not affect the bars and restaurants, the owners “cannot sit quiet until there is a clarification by SC that its order is not applicable to bars and restaurants”.
He informed that the association is conducting taluka level meetings to create awareness about the SC order.
