SHOAIB SHAIKH
shoaib@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Goa Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) has expressed anguish over the manner in which the Excise Department has measured the distance of 500 metres from the highway.
Speaking to Herald, GLTA President Dattaprasad Naik said Goa Excise Department needs to rectify the method of measuring the 500 metres distance as mentioned in the Supreme Court order.
He said, “The Supreme Court order clearly states that necessary safeguards must be introduced to ensure that liquor vends are not visible or directly accessible from the highway within a stipulated distance of 500 metres. However, the Excise Department has measured the distance as radius, taking the bird’s view.”
Stating that Goa is the only state to have adopted this method, he said all other states have considered approach roads or distance covered to the access road.
“In Goa they are measuring it just to fulfill their status quo to the amendments of the law. The law was amended earlier and the distance from the national highways was calculated as radius. Therefore the Supreme Court directions too are being taken in the same direction,” he stated.
Naik said the association has requested Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to direct the Excise Department to measure the distance as per the approach road and not radius.
He pointed out to the Apex Court’s ruling of December 15, 2016, paragraph 24 point (V) which states that, “No shop for the sale of liquor shall be (i) visible from a national or state highway; (ii) directly accessible from a national or state highway and (iii) situated within a distance of 500 metres of the outer edge of the national or state highway or of a service lane along the highway.”
