The die has been cast on the issue of not renewing licences of liquor outlets on highways. Fortunes will be made or broken whether the distance from the highway is now less than 220 metres or not. The game is all about managing expectations and getting the best out of a situation which will still have ramifications for the industry.
But there comes a time to take stock of how best the loss can be managed and what the government can do to mitigate the fallout by cutting losses. It is pointless for parties to blame each other, because the damage has been done. Most states and Goa surely, have been wishing away regular missives and communications over the years, about the impending decision and the need to remove liquor outlets on the highway. There is merit in the argument that the state government should have moved the Supreme Court with Goa specific points, and the Congress has charged the Parrikar government for an inordinate delay in moving the courts. But this charge should be thrown right back at the Congress. This isn’t a new issue and when the Congress ruled between 2007 and 2012, did its government move even once to address the issue? Its national track record on this issue hasn’t been great either. In fact in many Congress-ruled states, more than 50 percent liquor outlets are facing the axe due to the Supreme Court order.
There is simply no place to play politics on the liquor ban issue. This has happened to the collective failure and insensitivity in assessing the seriousness of the issue and not preparing a strategy to tackle this.
The Congress’ demand that highways should be de-notified is a knee jerk one. There can be a debate and a logical one at that, on the needs to convert so many state and other roads to highways. However, de-notifying them to save liquor outlets is akin to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. The cumulative financial impact of de-notification, which would deprive the stage government from central funds for the highways, will be unmanageable. However, de-notifying some of the state highways is possible and the Goa government is apparently looking at that closely.
Meanwhile Goa is indeed the first State to implement the revised Supreme Court (SC) order of now renewing licences of outlets which are less than 220 metres from the highway and not 500 metres. This will save over 1000 outlets.
The way forward is to look at the rehabilitation of affected liquor traders. They will have practical challenges like, finding godowns for storing of stock, getting alternate land or premises to shift outlets, and subsidies and government help in re-locating which could involve fee waivers. At the same time, the survey to determine which of the outlets could be saved under the 220 metre rule should be completed post haste so that those traders who can be saved from the axe, should get on with their businesses.
The priority should be towns like Vasco, which will face the ultimate and complete brunt of the Supreme Court order with virtually all liquor establishments forced to close shop. The Chief Minister must make good his promise of meeting the Vasco liquor businessmen and give them the much needed confidence that the State will not leave them in the lurch.
This is the kind of intervention that is needed rather than trading charges and attempting to score political points on an issue which is very sensitive.
