With Goa reporting as many as 618 fatal accidents in the last two years, most of these have taken place due to drunken driving and now a chief question arises: is it because of the growing liquor outlets and restaurants serving alcohol along the National and State Highways and can we hold them accountable for snatching away precious lives.

According to the Supreme Court verdict, all existing liquor license holders would not be renewed after March 31, 2017 with aim of reducing the alarming 1,50,000 fatal accidents which occur every year of which much of this figure is attributed to drunken driving cases.

While some have welcomed this move, others question the order saying that one cannot prove that the accident happens only after consuming alcohol along the state and national highways.

“Our liquor business would close according the order, what are we supposed to do then, on what basis will we survive, and my family is completely dependent on this restaurant and bar. I obey the order but how can one prove that the accident was caused only after consuming of alcohol from a restaurant of a store present along the highway, one can even consume liquor at their personal place and then drive” said Savitri Naik, proprietor of Naik Restaurant.

However, if we have a look at the statistics provided by the Goa Traffic Cell it shows a marginal decrease in the challans issued by the authorities for driving under the influence of alcohol. The data shows that last year the authorities booked and issued 2,345 challans with section 185 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Similarly the corresponding year 2015 data shows 3678 cases booked.

Further, the statistics reveal that last year 336 persons lost their lives in the state of Goa due to fatal accidents but one cannot exactly bifurcate how many were actually killed while driving under the influence of alcohol and also whether they actually consumed or purchased alcohol from liquor outlets on the state and National highways.

When Herald assessed data of the number of persons killed in road accidents on National highways in the State of Goa for the year 2015 was 132 and with almost 97 percent of the road accidents by rash and negligent driving there's a BIG Q on how can one substantiate that the accidents were caused by drunk driving and what is the evidence available that liquor was consumed before the accident took place on the highways.

Speaking to Herald, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Dharmesh Angle said “Majority or we can say 90 percent of the accidents in Goa happen due to rash and negligent driving and drunken driving cases can be tackled only through strict enforcement.”

With an alarming 1.5  lakh deaths that take place every year because of road accidents, most of these incidents take place due to rash driving with alcohol being one of the factors.

Goa being a tiny state, a vast stretch of the roads are in the form of state and national highways which run along the coastline and once the order is implemented, the Excise Department is likely to lose it revenue by at least by 30 percent.

“Goa has almost 11,000 licensed liquor outlets and after the ban, I guess, mostly 45 percent will be vanished in which a lot of people will be become unemployed. While Goa’s entire economy is dependent on alcohol, this ban will affect the coastal state the most as compared to other tourist destinations,” said Dias, a wine store owner in Bambolim.

Meanwhile, GOACAN co-ordinator Roland Martins said “The Supreme Court order is a alarming sign for the government of Goa. The Government had many years with them but they did not initiate a liquor policy. Every year many lives are lost because of drunken driving. What has the excise department done in so many years? There is not a single board in pubs and bars stating drink responsibility or do not drink and drive, nothing of this sought has taken place. This is an alarming call for the government and now it’s time to act.”

“If all bar are closed on highways, people and revellers can still buy their stock from the city and hit for a long drive and step on gas and meet the eventual end," said Kamraj Naik, a resident of Taleigao.