Is Goa govt serious about relief to liquor traders?

the goan I networkrPANAJIr rWhile Public Works Department Minister Ramkrishna “Sudin” Dhavalikar when speaking to The Goan said that “the file has already been moved” and that the Town and Country Planning Department would have to take a call, the Principal Chief Engineer of the PWD Uttam Parsekar has said that he has “no knowledge of the matter.” r“The file has already been moved to the Town and Country Planning Department. They have to take a final call,” Dhavalikar said. rBut Parsekar, when contacted said that he was unaware of any such file being moved. rEarlier too, Tourism Minister Manohar “Babu” Ajgaonkar had expressed his intention that the Goa government denotify highways on the lines of what Punjab has done. r“It is a question of the livelihoods of the people of Goa. We will make a similar attempt and will impress upon the Chief Minister to get this done,” Azgaonkar had told The Goan no sooner Punjab’s decision was publicised. r“Already the Chief Minister has provided relief to bars after deciding that the distance will be measured according to the approach road and not as the crow flies. Every liquor vend will be saved. Even the others can get relief,” Azgaonkar said. rHowever, little seems to be moving on the ground. rMenino D’Souza, excise commissioner, said that his department can act only once the PWD had taken its decisions. r“The PWD will be taking final call on denotifying highways going through city limits. Once, that is done, excise department will swing into action to decide which licenses within city areas will get renewed. But, as of now, we haven’t got final intimation on this from PWD,” D’Souza said. rSources had earlier revealed to The Goan Everyday that close to 430 liquor licenses in the state will get relief once highways going through city areas are notified. Of these, close to 350 licenses in Vasco, 50 in Margao and 30 in Ponda will get renewed as and when the highways are denotified in these city areas.