As Mopa takes off, Warkhand seeks to ground booze biz

Panaji: Fearing a proliferation of alcohol outlets around Manohar International Airport at Mopa, the gram sabha of Warkhand-Nagzar panchayat — whose villages lie close to the airport — has passed a resolution to cancel permissions of liquor shops and bars.
The gram sabha wants the cancellation of the permits in its jurisdiction in Pernem taluka. The resolution, passed on Sunday, also says no new permit will be issued.
Warkhand is one of the many villages which lie close to the new airport. Village sarpanch Gauree Joshalkar said that though the gram sabha has passed the resolution, the members are not sure if the panchayat has the right to cancel permissions already granted.
“We will consult a lawyer to see how effectively we can take this forward. We are aware of people’s sentiments on this matter,” Joshalkar said.
The village has a population of about 1,500 and has 11 liquor shops, of which five were opened over the past five years after the construction of the international airport began, Joshalkar said.
The second phase of the Mopa airport is under construction.
“People fear that there will be more liquor shops now. We recently rejected an application for opening a bar,” Joshalkar said.
A liquor licence is issued by the excise department after a panchayat or a municipality gives its nod.
Of the 191 panchayats in Goa, just one or two do not have a single liquor shop. Others have four to five each and villages in the coastal areas and those bordering national highways have more.