CANACONA
As many as 56 liquor outlets in Loliem-Polem which lie within 5 kms along the Goa’s southernmost borderline with Karnataka State will remain shut in view of assembly elections in Karnataka.
The 56 liquor outlets consist of 39 bars/taverns/consumption outlets, retail sale of packed bottle licencees or wine shops (12), wholesale liquor licencees (3), Duty-Paid Warehouse Licencee (1) and Country Liquor Bottling Unit (1), all within the 5-km range of Karnataka border (Majali-Karwar), informed Canacona Excise Supdt Chandrashekar Dessai.
All these liquor outlets, be it consumer points or whole-sellers, warehouse or bottling units, will have to keep their shutters down for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly Elections.
These liquor outlets will be closed from 5 pm on May 8 to 12 am on May 10 (elections). Similarly on the Counting Day, the liquor outlets which falls within 5 kms of border with Karnataka will be closed from 6 am on May 13 to 6 am on May 14.
However, bars and restaurants within this 5-km range will be allowed to serve food, but the bar counter will have to be closed.
Meanwhile, sources at the Canacona Excise Office said 122.75 bulk litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) valued at Rs 51,783 has been seized by the Canacona Excise office and Excise checkpost at Polem since the code of conduct came into force following declaration of Karnataka State Legislative Assembly Elections.
Stepping up vigil, Canacona excise has also set in motion a Flying Squad to check the infiltration and smuggling of liquor/alcohol from the State and is providing a 24-hour surveillance not only at the Polem checkpost, but also on all known routes to Karnataka, including the sea-route and through dense forest routes.
Besides strict surveillance on the border check post, the three excise teams, one led by an excise inspector and two others led by excise sub-inspectors, are working round-the-clock in three batches.
“They are also keeping a track on forest routes through Marlim-Tirval, Bela, Ambdem-fond, and along the sea route at Polem,” informed Canacona Excise Supdt Chandrashekar Dessai.
