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Liquor traders adopt wait and watch policy
Liquor traders in the city and other parts of Krishna district are adopting wait and watch policy and not coming forward to open the shops in view of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on running the shops and bars. The Supreme Court issued directive prohibiting bars and liquor shops with 500 metres from the national highways and state highways.
Vijayawada: Liquor traders in the city and other parts of Krishna district are adopting wait and watch policy and not coming forward to open the shops in view of the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on running the shops and bars.The Supreme Court issued directive prohibiting bars and liquor shops with 500 metres from the national highways and state highways.
Highlights:
- Less than 10 shops opened after implementing new policy
- No response on Day 2 from traders
Keeping in view of the Apex Court orders, the liquor traders are finding it difficult to get licences to open the outlets in the residential areas in the cities, towns and villages. People are vehemently opposing the traders to run either bars or shops in their colonies. Besides, the liquor shops or bars should not be opened near the places of worship and educational institutions like schools.
All these factors dampened the spirit of liquor merchants who are not coming forward to open the shops. They are eagerly waiting that the government may alter some rules and regulations. The new liquor policy began on July 1 in the state. In Vijayawada less than 10 per cent shops and bars were opened on the first two days on Saturday and Sunday.
Several hundred liquor lovers queued up to purchase liquor at a shop near the Old Bus Stand on Sunday. At Seetarampuram, several hundred buyers thronged a bar since morning as liquor is available in very limited shops and bars in the city. More than 90 per cent bars and shops remained closed for two days.
The government has decided to give licences to 336 shops and 151 bars in Krishna district, which is divided into two units, Vijayawada and Machilipatnam.
More than 80 per cent shops and bars located along the national highways and below 500 metres from the highways have been shut down before June 30 as per the Supreme Court orders. Now, reopening of shops became a challenging task as traders are not able to find suitable shops in the residential or commercial areas.
Stiff resistance from local people is one of the important reasons for backing of traders. As per the new liquor policy, the shops and bars were allotted basing on population.
Interestingly, the liquor lobby is exerting pressure on the government to hasten efforts to change the national and state highways roads as district roads so that the bars and shops can be re opened and continue the business. The state government earns Rs 100 crore revenue every month on liquor business in Krishna district. If the traders don’t come forward to open the shops and run the business, the revenue of the state government would fall drastically in this financial year 2017-18.
Liquor business is a cause for concern to the government as business activity will be badly affected in the state due to the implementation of GST from July 1. Prices of many commodities, luxury goods, consumer products will shoot up leading to drastic fall of sales. All these factors will have impact on the revenue of the state government as it will lose tax revenue.
By Md Ameen
