PANJIM: After the Supreme Court (SC) came cracking down on
liquor vends operating within 500 mtrs of the highways, there is something for
the liquor traders to cheer about. The State government has directed the Excise
Department to re-measure the distance of establishments, which were measured as
the crow flies.
President of All Goa Liquor Traders Association Dattaprasad
Naik told a press conference that the measurement between the points will now
be calculated through approachable road, a demand by some liquor traders who
had objected to the manner in which the excise teams carried out the drive.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has cleared the file (to
re-measure the distance between points) and directed the Excise Department to
amend the Act. We are grateful to the CM to consider our demand and now request
the department to expedite the process of re-measurement,” he said.
The revised measurement, the association stated will being
respite to 500 outlets. As per the Excise department, 3,210 units had come
under the purview of the SC order’s iin December 2016 banning liquor sale on
highways. Out of the total, some establishments got relief as it fell in the
modified order of the SC in March 2017 wherein liquor vends located beyond 220
in towns with 20,000 or less population will be exempted from the ban. With
this, 2,200 bars and wine shops faced the closure as on date.
The association has also urged denotification of the State
highways passing through the municipal areas, which would salvage the business
of another 1,000-1,200 outlets. “”The denotification will save most of the
outlets in Bicholim, Valpoi, Sanquelim, Margao, Vasco, Canacona, Cuncolim and
Ponda,” Naik added.
On CM’s assurance to file a review plea within three months
of the revised order pronounced by the SC, Naik said he is hopeful that
government will not backtrack.
The association members are confidence that after the
completion of the third Mandovi Bridge, all the liquor vends in Panjim would be
exempted from the SC order. “The measurement would be through accessible route so
there is no question that any liquor vend would continue to remain closed,” he
added.
Herald was the first to report that the taluka-level teams
of Excise Department would be tasked with reassessing the distance of some
liquor vends including bars from the nearest highways, following fresh pleas
from the owners argued that they do not fall under the ambit of the order. “We
will direct the taluka-level teams to re-measure the liquor outlets and bars of
those owners, who have approached us that their structures are not within 220
mtrs or 500 mtrs from the national and/or State highways,” a senior excise
official had told Herald last month.
