Team Herald
PANJIM: The Excise Department has decided to keep its offices open on Saturdays this month to ensure beach shack operators obtain licences for the sale of liquor.
“The Office of the Commissioner of Excise is facilitating hassle-free issue of licences for those interested in obtaining liquor licences and concerned Excise Inspectors have been directed to keep the offices open on Saturdays during October 2018,” states a notice by the department.
Excise teams will also be on surprise inspections and strict action will be taken against violators.
“Shack owners, who have been granted licences by the Department of Tourism to run the shacks, should obtain licences for retail sale of liquor for consumption in case the shack owners wish to serve liquor in their shacks,” the notice further states.
The tourist season commenced on October 4, however, the start has been disappointing as the number of charter flights this month has seen a significant drop as compared to October 2017.
Moreover, four charter flights have been cancelled for the month. Tourism stakeholders have kept their fingers crossed for a good season in the coming months.
