VASCO: The assurance to amend the State Highway Act, to de-classify roads passing through cities as “state highways” by the government will provide immense relief to liquor outlets in Bicholim, Valpoi, Curchorem, Sanguem and to some extent Ponda, however, there is no relief yet to the liquor outlets from Mormugao as not a single state highway passes through any of the areas of this taluka.
Mormugao is majorly affected by the Supreme Court order banning liquor outlets located within 500 meters distance from National Highway.
As per information obtained from the office of the Excise Department, Vasco, there are three highways passing through the taluka, but no state highway and hence no relief would be provided to the liquor outlets affected by the Supreme Court order. The only window of opportunity is if the Centre accepts Goa’s proposal to de-notify NH 17 A and notify it as a major district road since two other National Highways already cut through the port town.
“With every passing day our financial difficulties are increasing as for the last four months we are without any business and we don’t know how many more days or weeks we will have to wait without any business. We request the State government to appoint some senior officer to follow up the proposal sent to the Central government for denotification of NH17-A road,” said a wine shop owner who wished not to be named.
There are 35 liquor outlets on NH 17 that had to stop operations after the SC order. Similarly under NH17-A road about 252 liquor outlets and under NH17 B about 163 liquor outlets had to shut down their operations following the SC order. A senior excise official said the State government intends to de-notify NH17-A connecting Cortalim to Mormugao Port via Chicalim and if this happens then about 252 liquor outlets would get another lease of life as their licenses then can be renewed after de-notification of NH 17A stretch.
But a majority of traders and bar owners, are still uncertain about their future and yet not willing to come out in the open to speak about it, in case future business prospects get compromised
A Vasco-based wine shop owner Gabriel D’Souza, who along with others liquor outlets from Vasco had to shut down operations, said, “For the last four to five months we are hearing that the government will do something to provide us some relief but how long this will take is a big question. As long as our licence is not renewed we are nowhere, we are hoping that government will fulfill its assurance to denotify NH17 A road which is passing through Vasco as this will save many liquor outlets from the existing financial crisis.”
Like D’ Souza, several others liquor outlet operators from Vasco, as well as other areas along NH17 A, are keeping a close watch on the State government on the issue of de-notification of the NH17 A stretch.
