Haryana Finance Minister, Capt Abhimanyu on Thursday said that orders of the Supreme Court imposing a ban on liquor vends within 500 metres of state and national highways would be respected and enforced in the state.
The State Government is analyzing the impact after closure of the liquor vends within 500 metres of highways. Haryana Advocate General has given his opinion according to which permission would not be given to the license holder at a motorable distance of 500 metres on both sides of highways, said Capt Abhimanyu while talking to the mediapersons here .
He said that before old licence is renewed, it would be observed whether the licensed vend is located within the limit of 500 metres or not.
The Supreme Court in its March 31 order had said that liquor vends within 500 metres of national and state highways would have to shut down from April 1. It, however, did not specify how the exercise of measuring the distance should be carried out.
Around 200 bars in Haryana will be affected by the Apex Court order banning sale of liquor within 500 meters of highways. The SC order will affect 194 out of 478 bars in Haryana, most of which are located in Gurugram, as per the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department.
Of the total 292 bars in Gurugram, this order will affect 106. Around Rs 100 crore in revenue may have to be foregone due to shutting down of bars and pubs in the state due to SC order, according to the Department.
In reply to a question, the Finance Minister, however, said, loss to the Excise Department due to the SC decision would be calculated only after proper study.
Apart from excise, Court decision would also impact revenue from Value Added Tax. There is a possibility of negative impact on employment of thousands of people working in tourism and hospitality sector, said he.
Gurugram houses six per cent of the global population of BPOs where people belonging to 50 to 60 countries worked. To have eatables during the evening is a part of their lifestyle, he added.