SC ban on NH liquor sale leaves bar owners jittery
TNN Bureau. Updated: 2/21/2017 9:22:55 AM
Front Page
Excise officials seek clarity from Law Dept
SUMIT SHARMA
JAMMU: The Supreme Court order banning sale of liquor within 500 metres of all highways has left the owners of many restaurants and bars in Jammu and Kashmir jittery.
Even as the Jammu and Kashmir Excise Department has identified 50 wine shops on and near national and state highways for closure in compliance with the Supreme Court order, the excise officials have written to the Law Department seeking clarity on the bars and restaurants that serve liquor.
“Yes, the Excise Department has written to the Law Department for clarity on action to be taken against numerous restaurants and bars along national and state highways after the Supreme Court order,” said sources.
“The excise department sought clarity after owners of some bar and restaurants met the higher ups to know their fate, though, many owners say that the order is meant only for liquor shops,” the sources added.
Now, all eyes are on the law department’s reply and if it says that the bars and restaurants are also fall in the purview of the Supreme Court ban then the excise department would initiate the process of verifying the bars on and near highways for their closure.
Presently, there are 109 bars and restaurants in the Jammu Division, 2 bars and restaurants in Kashmir Division and 20 bars and restaurants in Ladhakh Division.
Pertinently, the Supreme Court, on December 15, ordered that “all states and Union Territories shall forthwith cease and desist from granting licenses for sale of liquor along national and state highways”. Liquor licenses that are currently valid won’t be renewed after March 31, 2017.
The SC gave order in this connection, based on the plea citing the road accident data of the 2015 report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways according to which around 1,374 accidents and 400 deaths take place every day on Indian roads, resulting in 57 accidents and loss of 17 lives on an average every hour.
The ruling came in a case that sought closure of all liquor vends along highways to curb fatalities caused by drunken driving. The order covers highway stretches that fall within municipal corporation, city, town or local authority limits.