Liquor banned in Surla for 30 days

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI/VALPOI

North Goa district collector Levinson Martins on Thursday banned the sale and serving of liquor starting from Friday for the next 30 days in Surla village which comes under the Thane Dongurli village panchayat in Sattari taluka.

The prohibitory order was issued under Section 29(A) of the Goa Excise Act and the Goa Excise Rules read with powers under sub-section (2) of Section I44 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, to curb the menace, annoyance and nuisance created by tourists.

The order has prohibited all the liquor bars, shops, pubs, clubs, provision stores or any establishment serving or selling liquor or alcoholic beverages in retail or packed bottle in the village of Surla for the period of 30 days.

While issuing the order, the district collector took into account possible crime which may be committed against women and

children by tourists under the influence of alcohol.

The district collector warned of penal action, even the cancellation of licences of establishments, if they are found selling or serving liquor during the liquor ban period.

The district collector asked officials of the excise department and the police to ensure strict enforcement of the order.

The collector also directed the commissioner of excise to verify and submit detail report in respect of the existing bars and wholesale liquor shops/establishments serving liquor with respect to compliance of licence conditions, and to see whether licences issued are in accordance with law.

“There is sufficient ground for putting returnable restrictions through prohibitive orders by means of temporary prohibition on sale of liquor, wine and all alcoholic beverages/drinks etc by all the liquor outlets such as bar and all shops, pubs, provision stores, restaurants where liquors are being served or sold in the village of Surla to ensure total protection to the vulnerable inhabitants of the village i.e. children and women who are presently living under possible threat of being targeted by the unruly behaviour of the drunken youth tourists,” reads the order.

It is pertinent to note   here that the deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate had forwarded a   report of the Valpoi police station to the North Goa district collector stating that the residents of Surla village had complained that the tourists mainly from Belagavi district of Karnataka visit the village mainly to drink liquor, which is much cheaper here than in Karnataka.

The inebriated tourists create ruckus and public nuisance in the village.

It has been observed that the tourist in large groups create nuisance in the village by boozing on the street and bathing in   nullahs, disrupting the free flow of pedestrian and traffic movement on the narrow village road which is the sole access to the village from the highway.

In an attempt to bring about peace in the village, a special meeting between Surla villagers and bars owners was held on Thursday.

The meeting, which had been convened by Sattari mamlatdar Dashrath Gawas, was also attended by officials.

“We are firm on our demand for the closure of all eight liquor outlets over the constant nuisance, traffic jams and other problems, which have been plaguing Surla village in the past two decades,”  a villager said at  the meeting.

Another villager told the mamlatdar that the unruly behaviour of picnickers and tourists from Karnataka is uncontrollable.

The bar owners admitted that public nuisance has been on the rise in the village.

“Tourist arrivals have increased leading to nuisance… But we are requesting the government to set up a police outpost in the village to crack down on public boozing and nuisance,” a bar owner said.

After hearing the grievances of the villagers and the bar owners, the mamlatdar said, “I have observed that bar owners are not following the guidelines, which leads   to nuisance in Surla village. I will submit my action report on the issue to the collector, and the government will take an appropriate action.”

He instructed the excise department and the police to take a strict action against the tourists who create nuisance.

Valpoi police inspector Shivram Vaigankar said that they will get more police personnel in the village from next two months to avoid any law and order situation.