PANJIM: With the mapping of liquor stores located within 500 mtrs of National and State highways completed, the Excise Department is now readying to issue show cause notices to the concerned owners.
The taluka-level teams, formed under the core committee headed by Excise Commissioner Menino D’Souza, have completed the inspection, however, a majority of them are yet to officially submit their survey reports. As per the day-to-day updates, around 3127 liquor licenses at around 2775 premises fall under the ambit of the Supreme Court (SC) order that bans alcohol sale within 500 mtrs of the National and State highways.
Notices will be issued once the department is in receipt of all the reports. “We are awaiting reports from some teams, although all of them have been sending regular updates to the office. Once we receive all the reports, the process for issuing of show cause notices won’t take time,” the officer said.
As per the data, Salcette has the maximum of 627 licenses followed by 470 in Mormugao and 429 in Bardez. These include retail and wholesale liquor outlets and bars.
Although the SC order does not specify whether or not bars will too face the axe, the Excise Department has included them in the survey. “We have covered all the liquor serving and selling outlets including the wholesalers, coming under the purview of the order. If bars are excluded from the order, notices will not be served to the owners,” he said.
Advocate General Saresh Lotlikar in his opinion to Government had said that bars and restaurants which serve liquor for consumption within the premises would not come under the ambit of the Apex Court verdict.
Survey Data- Salcette: 627 licences, Mormugao: 470, Bardez: 429, Ponda: 425, Tiswadi: 248, Bicholim: 216, Quepem: 185, Canacona: 171, Pernem: 140, Sanguem: 128, Sattari: 88.
