The dormant Goa Government on account of its inaction is to be blamed for the plight those thousand of bars and liquor stores across Goa are today bracing for on account of the 15th December 2016 judgment of the Supreme Court by which from 1st April this year sale of all liquor has been prohibited and banned within 500 mts of all National and State Highways across the country. You can read the entire judgment at http://www.livelaw.in/read-supreme-court-directions-high-way-liquor-ban-read-judgment/
It was the bounden duty of the Goa Government to have intervened in that petition while the issue was under consideration of the Supreme Court and aggressively placed the facts vis- a- vis Goa which are unique to the other states. Unlike the relentless enthusiasm otherwise displayed in still trying to get Digambar Kamat’s bail cancelled in the Supreme Court, it is now almost two long months and the Goa Government has not yet filed a review petition or sought modification of the Supreme Court’s liquor ban order. This ought to have been done in view of the distinctive facts and circumstances prevailing and pertaining to Goa. Is that stoic silence because the RSS which sets the agenda for the BJP government would like Goa to go dry the Gujarat way? The Supreme Court has rightly expressed apprehensions on the rising number of road accidents caused due to drunk driving. The Government has done nothing that would act as a deterrent to such accidents. Severe and exemplary penalties needed to be imposed on those found drinking and driving while making it also a cognizable and non bailable offence. The authorities in Goa have also turned a Nelson’s eye to the rampant sale of illicit and spurious liquor, in which illegal trade BJP’s Taleigao leader Dattaprasad Naik is one of the main kingpin. Ironically he is heading the Goa Liquor Traders Association. If the Goa Government does not act swiftly and sincerely to get some relief from the Supreme Court, just like the financial package doled out to the mining dependents, the already bankrupt State Government may now have to come up with yet another package, and this time for the liquor business dependents. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com