PANAJI
It was five months ago in February this year that the Supreme Court had given asked the State governments to decide whether areas in local self-governing bodies and areas close enough to municipal pockets could be exempted from the court’s ban on the sale of alcohol within 500 meters of national and state highways.
Even though a lot of time has passed since the SC passed this order, the State government is yet to provide relief to bar and restaurant owners, who have their outlets close enough to municipal pockets.
Tired of waiting for so long, the owners of bars and restaurants now want Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to provide relief to them.
Michael Carrasco, President of All Goa Bar & Restaurant Owners Association, said, “We had approached the three-member committee (comprising Francis D’Souza, Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte) after the SC order. The committee told us that we would get exemption based on the SC order. The committee even directed the excise department to give a list of bars and restaurants, which fall within the purview of the relief. The excise department made the list and sent the same to the finance department. We are now waiting for the CM to clear the file.”
There are a number of bars and restaurants in Goa in areas close enough to municipal areas or in local self-governing bodies with the characteristics of urban areas, which can potentially get relief from the SC’s original ban on the sale of alcohol within 500 metres of the highways.
Since the government is yet to take a decision in the matter, the alcohol licenses of several operators have not been renewed. As a result, they are unable to sell liquor causing loss of revenue.
Deepak Mhadeshri, Vice-president, All Goa Bar & Restaurant Owners Association, said, “I own a
restaurant in Thivim, which comes within 100 meters of a state highway. Therefore, my alcohol license was not renewed. However, later, the SC gave relief to areas close enough to municipal areas. We are close enough to Mapusa city, but my alcohol license is not renewed and we are unable to sell liquor.”
