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This is because excise officials had to be sent to Margao and neighbouring areas like Navelim, Nuvem, Fatorda, Benaulim and Curtorim to ensure that no sale of alcohol takes place, as a re-poll is scheduled in Aquem on February 7.
Menino D’Souza, excise commissioner, said, “Since these parts were declared as dry areas, excise officials had to be sent for election duty. Therefore, it became tough for us to do ground work to implement SC order.”
As per the SC order, no sale of alcohol will be allowed along national and state highways in India and also within 500 meters from the outer edge of these highways from April 1 this year. Obviously, this order has to be implemented by March 31.
But the implementation is going to be a very complex exercise, as several departments like public works department (PWD), settlement & land records and excise department have to work together to ensure that all liquor shops and bars selling alcohol within 500 meters from highways are properly identified.
However, not only from excise department, but employees from several other departments of the state government were also on election duty ever since the code of conduct was announced on January 4.
And, the re-poll at a polling station in Aquem requiring excise officers will delay the implementation of SC order by a few days.
