KOCHI: Shifting toddy shops 500 metres away from national and state highways as directed by Supreme Court is not practical, said Sebastian Paul, former MP on Saturday. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Toddy Shops Licence Association he said the state government should initiate steps to protect toddy shops under the traditional industries category. The government should undertake strong measures to protect the toddy, a natural product, unlike other factory produced liquor, he said.
The government has the responsibility to protect interests of persons engaged in toddy industry by tradition. “The government should take the opinion of the people in the sector before formulating the new liquor policy in April,” he added. According to Mr Paul it was not pragmatic to shift toddy shops 500 metres away from national and state highways in state Kerala with a very high population density.
Out of the 4,500 toddy shops around 1,300 will have to be shifted to follow the rule, he added. “This is not practical and it would result in a job loss to thousands of persons depending on the sector for livelihood,” he added. The government should intervene and take proactive measures to bring such serious implications to the attention of the apex court, he added. He also added that the CM and labour minister convene a meeting to discuss the issue.
