Team Herald
PANJIM: The Excise Department is simultaneously issuing new licences as well as renewing those of outlets that do not fall within the purview of the Supreme Court (SC) order banning the sale of liquor along highway.
Department sources said they have received numerous applications seeking new licences. However, approval is being given based on thorough scrutiny. “We are inspecting the location of the premises so that if it is located on highways, it should be beyond 500 metres. But if it is in small towns, the premises are allowed to operate beyond 220 metres. In addition to this, various others aspects are being looked into before granting a licence,” he said.
Renewal of licences is also underway barring those liquor vends that come under the ambit of the SC order. As per the December 15, 2016 order, all liquor outlets including bars within 500 metres of National and State highways are banned from serving/selling alcohol while the revised order on March 31, 2017 had a relaxation to outlets in small towns that have a population of less than 20,000. Wholesalers are exempted from the order.
Excise Commissioner Menino D’Souza said Excise Inspectors at their respective Excise Stations are carrying out the process with the assistance of local bodies. “The municipalities and village panchayats have records of the total area and the population. Renewals of licenses are based on these inputs,” he said denying that village panchayats are not cooperating with the department. “There could be one or two cases but no complaints have come to us,” he added.
