Union territory to lose Rs 150 crore per year, says Puducherry government

MAHE: The Puducherry government decision to file a review petition in the Supreme Court to review the ban on liquor shops on national highway has invited protest from the Mahe residents. Puducherry said in its petition that the union territory would lose Rs 150-crore revenue a year due to the closure of shops and sought special consideration to the area. The apex court had on December 15 ordered a ban on all liquor shops within 500 metres on national as well as state highways across the country and made it clear that licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31.

In Mahe alone, 34 shops have to close down by then causing a revenue loss of nearly 40 percent. The petition said that the closure of shops will adversely affect the tourism sector and create job loss for many. The revenue from liquor shops was used for the welfare schemes implemented in the union territory, including free laptops and ration for the people. Mayyazhikkottam, a social service organization which fought for the ban, alleged that the state government was cheating the people by giving the review petition.

“Though the Supreme Court had rejected similar petitions twice earlier, there is a high-level conspiracy prompting the government to approach the court again. Political parties have received huge sums from the liquor barons for elections. “That’s why the government took such a hasty decision,” the Mayyazhikoottam office-bearers said. They threatened to intensify the protest against the government action and go for legal battle.