PANJIM: The Excise Department has approached State Government seeking its view on remeasuring the distance of bars from the highways.
The move assumes significance following liquor traders raising their apprehensions over the measured distance of their outlets from the highways.
Excise Commissioner Menino D’Souza said that the department has received several representations from the liquor traders across State alleging that the taluka-wise teams that measured the distance of a liquor serving/selling outlets from the highways did not carry out their field work efficiently.
He said that the traders have alleged that the inspection teams had used Google maps for the task instead of measuring with a tape.
“Accordingly, we have forwarded all the representations to the Government seeking its advice on whether to continue with the existing process or go for re-measurement,” D’Souza said.
The Excise Commissioner claimed that the allegation by the traders is nothing but a last attempt to save their outlets from coming within the ambit of Supreme Court order.
Herald in its Sunday edition had reported the concerns raised by the establishments in the city, which are been closed down for serving liquor for falling within 500 metres of highways.
Sources said that since staff was on election duty, Goa did not have the staff to measure 13,200 liquor outlets by tape and this was the main reason to go via Google maps.
Even the land survey officials have admitted that they did not have the time to go out with tapes to measure every single outlet within a span of 25 days sources added.
The bar owners say their business should not suffer for the reason that officials did not have the time to take tape measurements in view of elections. They have demanded that all those whose licences are pending should be renewed.
They further said that the government should have made a representation to the court seeking more time as it could not measure 13,200 outlets as the State was in election mode. They also pointed out that the government did not make a representation that Goa is small state with a small population because States which have been exempted were of 7500 sq kms while Goa is smaller.
They also questioned how boats and casinos are allowed to serve liquor though they come within 500 metres of the highway.
