Establishments such as liquor shops, bars, hotels and restaurants (serving alcohol) that fall within 500 mts of the state or the national highway, have been ordered to be shutdown.
Exceptions in the order
The Supreme Court has granted some relief to the towns having a population 20, 000 or less, here the order applies to 220 mts from the state or national highways.
Also, hilly states of Sikkim, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh were given exemptions due to their topography.
No ads indicating location liquor outlets
The SC order has said that no advertisement should be allowed on the highways indicating the location or advertising the alcohol selling outlets or bars and hotels serving alcohol.
The order also states that establishments selling or serving liquor should not be visible from the highways.
Goa’s spirit low
In Goa, about 3,000 establishments will be shutdown due to the SC order. These make up a substantial number of the almost 12,000 licences that were granted in 2016.
Currently, Goa earns 330 crores from the liquor industry. It seems the SC order may impact the state’s revenue from the industry in a major way.
Press reports had said that the Ponda Municipal council has denotified a state highway in its jurisdiction to provide respite to the liquor-selling establishments.
Hearing held on March 31 has extinguished any hopes for relaxation of the norms mentioned in the December 15 order by the SC and will come into force from April 1.
