Nuisance at liquor shops forced govt to reduce closing time
The retailers have claimed that the new closing timing is adversely affecting their business.
A Panji retailer, who had the permit to carry on trade for longer time, rued that while bars are allowed to remain open until 4 a.m. the decision to stop the liquor retailers from doing business until 11 p.m. was unfair.
Sales have come down, he said.
The government decision to curtail the liquor sale by two hours and stop licensed storeowners from operating late after charging extra fee has harmed city shops,
he claimed.
The liquor shops in the city areas cater to office-goers and tourists. Several tourists go to their rooms after sightseeing and prefer to make liquor purchases while stepping out for dinner, said the Panaji retailer.
Other IMFL sellers agreed that downing shutters early has resulted in a significant loss of clientele. Many customers who usually buy liquor at the last moment are disappointed.
The liquor retailers pointed out that they have not yet approached the government for going back to the old timings, and as yet are mulling over it.
However, sources in the excise department said the complaints from liquor shops are nothing compared to the complaints from irate residents who went through nuisance when shops were allowed to be open till 11 p.m. Several wine stores are located in residential buildings and people residing in the buildings had difficulty in accessing the entrance because of buyers sitting in the stairways and drinking, pointed out a senior official.
The long hours also created law and order problems as tourists visiting wine stores usually started drinking and committing nuisance by shouting on the road or throwing glass bottles and plastic pouches on the streets.
Furthermore the problem was more during long weekends when tourist flowed into the state. The new timings, the excise official added, would take some time for adaptability, but people would start making liquor purchases early.
The department does not foresee a drop in liquor sales because of the new timings, the official pointed out.
Of the 1627 IMFL selling stores, 328 had licence to conduct trade until 11 p.m. Revenues from extra fee from shopkeepers was about `13 lakh in 2013-14.
On April 1, 2014 the excise department announced changes in timings for shops by prohibiting liquor sale in packed bottles, pouches etc. for extra hours with additional fee. The fee was 50 per cent of the annual licence fee.
The permission for closing timing of 11 p.m. was given in 2001 and continued up to March 31, 2014.
http://www.navhindtimes.in/goa-news/nuisance-liquor-shops-forced-govt-reduce-closing-time
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