Team Herald
PANJIM: The Excise Department has asked the liquor operators to display ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ warning board in their premises failing which their licences would not be considered for renewal from April 1.
A circular in this regard was issued during a meeting of District Road Safety Council chaired by Additional Collector-I Vikas Gaunekar (on behalf of District Collector Levinson Martins) on Tuesday.
“It was decided and directed in the meeting by the District Magistrate, to display/put up a board “Don’t drink and drive” in all the bar premises and at all excise check posts/outposts. Therefore, all taluka excise inspectors are directed to inform all the liquor license holders within their jurisdiction to display the board by fixing on the wall or painted on the wall of the licensed premises,” the circular by Assistant Commissioner of Excise Satyawan Bhivshet said.
Thousands of liquor licence holders approach the department for their annual renewal from April 1. With the government taking every step to reduce fatalities and cases of drunken driving, the excise department’s circular is a fresh move. Goa Police is already carrying out regular drives to nail the drunken drivers with over 4,000 cases booked in the last calendar year. Many driving licences have also been suspended by the Transport Department.
PWD was told to issue show cause notices to road contractors not following the rules at the time of carrying out the related works. So also, if a black spot is no longer a black spot, PWD should notify that every three months, it was suggested.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the PWD, KTC, Goa Police, Panchayats and Health; and civic-consumer forum GOACAN. The forum, through its co-ordinator Roland Martins, suggested that the Goa Police release a scheme for traffic wardens alike Traffic Sentinels Scheme.
