CANACONA
All liquor outlets, bars, taverns, restaurants and liquor wholesalers and retailers, who used to operate across the NH17 highway between Karmalghat (Gulem) and Polem were also closed.
According to Canacona Excise Inspector Pramod Zuvenkar, Canacona taluka has about 463 liquor licenses of various nature, including 150 shacks, that generated Rs 48.44 lakh in excise revenue last year.
“About 174 will be affected with the 500-metre ban, but if the Supreme Court’s new order giving a relaxation of 220 mtrs in areas with less than 20,000 population, then about 25-30 of these
licenses will be spared,” said Zuvenkar.
Dismissing reports of tension involving the affected liquor licence holders, Zuvenkar clarified that the affected licence holders were cooperative and had willingly kept their establishments closed.
But taking no chances, excise sleuths visited a number of bars and restaurants along the highway and personally checked to ensure that no bar and restaurant had any stock of alcohol.
While most restaurants had stopped selling alcohol, they continued to serve
food to customers along the highway.
