the goan I network
PANAJI
An order issued by the State government on Friday renewed licences of 13 liquor outlets and also throws open a window of hope for some 500 other outlets whose licences were kept on hold following the Supreme Court order banning bars within 500 metres from national and State highways, besides other major district roads.
The State government issued the order after the 13 liquor licence holders approached it following a Supreme Court direction that they knock the doors of the ‘competent authority’.
All the licences of the 513 liquor outlets, which were affected by the Supreme Court’s order banning liquor outlets along highways, had not been renewed by the State government, although it had cleared others by de-notifying State highways and by taking advantage of technicalities in the existing rules.
On Friday, the State government’s order renewing the 13 licences also said renewal of licences of all bars which are located in areas that come in the “sufficiently developed”, “partially developed” and not “sufficiently developed” category can be renewed.
It may be recalled the Supreme Court had directed cancellation of all licences of bars, wholesale and retail outlets along highways after hearing the petition that challenged a similar High Court order which had cancelled licences in Chandigarh.
The order followed a plea of a Chandigarh-based individual who was permanently maimed in an accident
reportedly caused by drunken driving.
The development had triggered panic in Goa as nearly 2000-odd bars and other liquor outlets faced the axe and threatened to severely affect the tourism trade.
