Albert Fernandes | NT
CANACONA
The Supreme Court (SC) order not to renew licences of liquor outlets within 500-metre radius of national and state highways after March 31 is giving sleepless nights to not only owners of over 40 per cent such outlets but also people employed there. Around 147 out of 363 liquor outlets in Canacona may face the axe if the court order is implemented in toto.
Excise inspector Pramod Juvekar informed that the department has already started a survey to identify outlets that will have to be closed down and it will be completed by the end of this month. He also said that the report will then be submitted to the concerned higher authority for further action.
Juvekar disclosed that the government received revenue of around Rs 9.95 lakh from liquor outlets during the year 2015-16 and is expected to lose a major share if the order is implemented.
Cristalina Fernandes, owner of a bar-cum-restaurant at Bhatpal said that the order will have far-reaching effect on the lives of bar owners as well as staff employed in such outlets. She said that the government should consider the repercussions the order will have on people and intervene.
Minguel Pereira, owner of Blinson Bar and Restaurant at Char-Rasta, said that he is in the business for years and questioned as to how he will earn his bread and butter if he is deprived of his only source of livelihood.
Pratap Pednekar, proprietor of Pednekar Liquor Traders shop at Canacona, said that the order is an encroachment on their fundamental right to live adding, “Tourism, from which the government gets a lot of revenue, would suffer if liquor outlets along highways are closed down. In order to curb the nuisance caused by drunkards, the government needs to intensify patrolling and use machinery for better supervision. There ought to be a revision of the decision.”
Domnic Rebello, who owns a bar and restaurant near Chauri at Nagorcem said that he has invested all the money he earned in Gulf in the business so that he is self-employed and feed his family. He further said that the income helped him educate his children and make his family self-sufficient adding, “The notices of closure make no sense. The government should provide us alternate land to shift our shops.”
Minguelina Fernandes, owner of a roadside tavern, said that the order endangers the sustenance of her family. She said, “The government should challenge the decision of closure. We do not have alternate land to shift the shop so the government should do a rethink before implementing the order.”
Francis Fernandes from Bhatpal said that he will not be able to work elsewhere if his bar is closed. He further said that he is sick and that no one will give him job to fend for his family. He asked, “What will my family do if the shop is closed?”
Xavier Corte, who runs a bar and restaurant at Polem, said that he fully depends on the outlet for his livelihood and that he has no other alternate source of income. Canacona taluka comprises of a municipality, and 7 panchayats with outlets mostly in the jurisdiction of the municipality and the panchayats of Shristhal, Poinguinnim and Loliem-Polem likely to be affected.