Yavatmal, Latur skirt booze ban

Mumbai: The Yavatmal, Parli, Latur and Jalgaon civic bodies have found a way around the Supreme Court’s ban on the sale of liquor within a 500-metre radius from state and national highways. The municipal corporations have de-notified highways in their areas that resumed the sale of liquor. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has taken over Mumbai’s highway in the similar manner and got it de-notified.

Around 16,301 shops in Maharashtra were in trouble after the Supreme Court’s ban in December 2016.  The state government, however, immediately found a way to protect the interests of shop owners by referring to a notification that was issued by the public works department on June 9, 2011. As per the notification, on the request of local civic bodies, the state government could denotify national and the state highways. “Civic bodies have no norms for the sale of liquor along the roads under their jurisdiction,” the notification read.

Commenting on the issue, PWD minister Chandrakant Patil said “Yavatmal, Parli, Latur and Jalgaon municipal corporations have de-notified highways in their periphery. Jalgaon, however, later revoked the idea and adhered to the Supreme Court’s order. This is as per the law and the government will give its approval if more municipal corporations come forward demanding that it de-notify highways.”

By de-notifying the highways, the Maharashtra government managed to protect 1,268 liquor shops and   318 shops were protected in Mumbai alone.

The Supreme Court’s directions are aimed at reducing drunk driving accidents. As per the orders, the licences of shops selling alcohol that are within 500 metres of national highways will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.