VASCO: Taking a pot-shots at Goa Excise Commissioner Menino D’Souza for measuring the liquor outlets using radius as base, the Goa Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) President Dattaprasad Naik on Tuesday claimed that the Supreme Court order has clearly mentioned that outlets visible or situated within the 500 meters of the outer edge of the national, state highways or the service lane should be banned, but the order has no mention about radius, still the committee appointed by D’Souza in Goa has been measuring liquor outlets using radius due to which more outlets would get effected.
He was speaking during an awareness meeting called by the liquor traders from Mormugao Taluka under the banner of Goa Highway Affected Liquor Vendors Association (GHALVA). All the members present during the meeting have declared their full support to the call given by GALVA.
“With the actions of excise commissioner, it appears that he has been taking extra initiatives when it comes to complying with the Supreme Court order. Why he is doing this? What is his intention? What is the legal opinion that he has taken while implementing this order is a big question. Today the Advocate General makes a statement, then he makes another statement that Bar and restaurants are not included, excise commissioner makes statement that Bars and restaurants are included, so what makes the excise commissioner feel that they area included under SC order,” Naik asked.
Lashing out further, Naik said, “Is the Excise Commissioner competent enough as far as the decision for implementation of SC order on liquor outlets in Goa is concerned? Which lawyer has he consulted while framing the rules that who comes under 500 meters and who don’t?”
He said, “The Supreme Court order has clearly mentioned that outlets situated within the 500 meters of the outer edge of the national, State highway or the service lane, but the order has no mention as to how the same should be measured. However, it is sad that following directions from the Excise Commissioner, the team has been measuring liquor outlets using radius using GPS devise under which many more liquor outlets would be affected. The excise commissioner should not take decision that creates panic among the liquor traders,” he said.
