PANJIM: After the Supreme Court (SC) that cracked down on liquor vends operating within 500 metres of highways, there finally is something for liquor traders to cheer about. The State government has directed the Excise Department to re-measure the distance of the establishments from the highway. This time the distance will be calculated via the approachable road method and not as the crow flies, which was done earlier.
All Goa Liquor Traders Association President Dattaprasad Naik told the media that the measurement
between the points will now be calculated through approachable road, a demand made by some liquor traders who had objected to the manner in which the Excise teams had carried out the drive.
“Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has cleared the file (to re-measure the distance between points) and directed the Excise Department to amend the Act. We are grateful to the CM and now request the department to expedite the process of re-measurement,” Naik said. The revised measurement, the association stated, will bring respite to 500 outlets.
The association has also urged the denotification of State highways passing through municipal areas, which would salvage the business of another 1000 to 1200 outlets. “The denotification will save most of the outlets in Bicholim, Valpoi, Sanquelim, Margao, Vasco, Canacona, Cuncolim and Ponda,” Naik added.
On the CM’s assurance to file a review plea within three months of the revised order pronounced by the SC, Naik said he is hopeful that the government will not backtrack on this.
The association members are confident that after the completion of the third Mandovi Bridge, all liquor vends in Panjim would be exempted from the SC order. “The measurement would be through accessible route so there is no question that any liquor vend would continue to remain closed,” he added.
Herald was the first to report that the taluka-level teams of Excise Department would be tasked with reassessing the distance of some liquor vends including bars from the nearest highways, following fresh pleas from the owners that they do not fall under the ambit of the order. “We will direct the taluka-level teams to re-measure the liquor outlets and bars of those owners, who have approached us that their structures are not within 220 mtrs or 500 mtrs from the national and/or State highways,” a senior Excise official had told Herald last month.
