the goan I network
MARGAO
Bar and restaurant owners in the commercial capital are facing double trouble. As if the Supreme court order banning bars and liquor outlets within 500 mts of the national and state highways was not enough, the civic authorities now have joined their excise counterparts in not renewing their licences of the restaurants.
A lady restaurant owner, having her establishment at the Khareband area was taken aback on Tuesday when she approached the Margao municipal authorities for renewal of the restaurant licence, which has expired on March 31. As is the usual practice, while the excise department is authorised to renew licences of bars and liquor outlets, the owners knock the doors of the municipal authorities for renewal of the restaurants.
Tuli Antao, however, had a bitter experience when she approached the taxation section of the Margao Municipal Council for renewal of the restaurant license. A civic official point blank told her that the restaurant licence will be renewed only after the excise submits a report that her bar stands closed as per the Supreme Court ban order.
“How are we to survive if such harassment is meted to the bar and restaurants owners? With the excise department rejecting the request for renewal of the bar licences, how are we to earn a livelihood. Has the apex court order directed the civic authorities not to renew the restaurant licences till the excise department gives a report on the closure of the bars?” Antao asked.
When The Goan contacted MMC Chief Officer Y B Tawde to shed light on the development, he initially maintained that restaurant licences will be renewed after the excise department submits a report stating that the bar in the restaurant stands closed. He, however, said that no communique has come from the government till date directing the civic authorities to withhold issuing of restaurant licences till the bars are closed.
“I will check up with the municipal officials about the exact situation. Accordingly, the municipality will take a call on renewal of the restaurant licences,” Tawde added.
The incident drew shock and outrage from beleaguered bar and restaurant owners from Margao reeling under the Supreme Court order ban on the closure of all bars within 500 mts from the national and state highways.
“This is pure harassment and adding salt to injury. How will the bar owners survive if the municipality is refusing the licences of the restaurants?” questioned assistant secretary of the All Goa Bars and Restaurants owners Association, Xavier Fernandes.
He said the association will immediately take up the issue with the government to spare the owners from the harassment at the hands of the municipal authorities.
