Mumbai: After the Supreme Court’s stringent verdict on not to permit liquor bars and permit rooms along the highways, the state excise department has taken another decision for December 30. They will not allow people to drink in banquet halls and lawns of resorts or hotels located off the highways. This will dash the hopes of many groups that have planned New Year parties, many who have even got the one day drinking permit.
The state excise department has provision to approve one day permit to those who want to celebrate any event in a group or alone. Such permit was also approved for the party organised at the terrace of housing society or at banquet hall and lawns outside city,” said official from excise minister on condition of anonymity.
“As SC has given its judgement on 21 December stating not to renew licences of permit bars and liquor shops located within boundary of 500 meters from National and state highways, excise department has decided not to allow one day permit to tipplers for 31 December who want to celebrate new year party beside highways,” he said.
Also Read: Ban liquor shops on national and state highways from April 1: Supreme Court
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, minister for state excise confirmed that his department has taken this decision. “We will follow SC order and hence will not give one day permit,” said Bawankule.
For year end, the decision will not be applicable to bars and permit room as they already have license to hold parties. So they will not be affected, said Bawankule.
To make matters worse for Tipplers, Bawankule on November 22 had taken decision wherein drinkers will now be allowed to posses only two bottles of liquor as against the current permissible possession of 12 bottles.
Bawankule argued that the current permissible limit was being misused especially in rural areas where drinkers misused their drinking permit to sell liquor and hoard illicit liquor which was sold in small quantities at cheap rates. Bawankule stated that this was being done to check sale of spurious and illicit liquor, especially toddy
(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
