3500 bar owners scramble to save their outlets
- Federation of Wine Merchants request amendment to Karnataka Highways Act to denotify City roads.
- They are planning a massive Jatha on July 10 pressing for their demand.
- If the Punjab and Haryana cases turn out to be favourable, the State will also follow the same procedure.
- Transfer of license is not possible and crores lost due to stock hold up.
FollowThe owners of 3500 bars in the State that are shut down following the Supreme Court order, to not have liquor shops within 500 meter distance from highways, are all out to fight and are urging the State Government to amend the Karnataka Highways Act and denotify City roads. They are planning a massive Jatha on July 10 pressing for their demand.
Following Punjab and Himachal Pradesh model, the State Government should consider highways in the thickly populated areas as city roads, and permit liquor shops to operate, said S Guruswamy, president of Federation of Wine Merchants Association. He was speaking at a press meet on Friday and stated that the closure of 3500 bars has driven thousands of families on streets. After the license renewal in 2017, the 3500 bars are closed and in the current situation the transfer of license is difficult, reported Kannada Prabha.
The main problem in transfer of licenses is the local Excise Rules Section 5, that does not permit transfers. The closure incurs losses to the tune of multiple crores to the investors. Also the bank loans cannot be repaid. Crores of liquor in stock will go waste. The State Exchequer will incur a loss of Rs 15 crores per day in tax, he explained.
Honorary president of the association Mohan Sait said over 4000 bar owners will take out a massive silent procession, sporting black band from City Railway station to Chief Minister’s house and submit an appeal. They will appeal to amend the Act and allow bars to operate in the same locality for all the license holders whose licenses were renewed from July1.
Association general secretary B Govindaraj Hegde, treasurer T M Meharwade, divisional president Karunakar Hegde and others were present.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will start hearing the case of Punjab Government denotifying highways in the city limits, from July 11. The judgement in Punjab’s case will dictate terms for State also. Both Punjab and Haryana governments have denotified the liquor shops and bars in the city limits. The bench had already questioned what is wrong to denotify highways in city limits. If the Punjab and Haryana cases turn out to be favourable, the State will also follow the same procedure. Everybody is waiting for Tuesday's SC order.
