Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 Keralam Minister M Liju on Tuesday said the government had decided to re-examine the previous LDF government’s decision to grant bar licences to more than 400 beer-and-wine parlours in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Liju said instructions had been issued to make necessary amendments to the rules to plug loopholes allegedly created by the previous Left administration in the grant of bar licences.
The state Excise minister said the previous government had empowered Deputy Excise Commissioners to grant bar licences to beer-and-wine parlours or hotels that secured a rating of more than three stars.
“So, if such an establishment gets an above three-star status one fine day and applies for a bar licence, it was granted the same. Like that, over 400 beer-and-wine parlours were granted licences to operate bars. All those decisions will be re-examined,” he said.
He said the current UDF government’s stand was that no fresh licences to operate bars would be granted until a new liquor policy was formulated.
Liju said Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao had, in June this year, granted two FL7 licences to a firm at the Kochi international airport for the distribution and sale of liquor to air passengers, as he was unaware of the government’s stand and had acted on information provided by other officials in the department.
“We have sought an explanation from him in this regard,” the minister said.
He said that although the Excise Commissioner was empowered to grant the licences, he should have informed the government before doing so, which was not done.
Liju said legal advice had been sought on the possible course of action regarding the two licences.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the previous LDF government and then Excise Minister M B Rajesh for allowing a large number of bars to operate in Keralam without taking into account the social realities of the state.
Liju was responding to Rajesh’s criticism earlier in the day that the minister repeatedly claimed he was unaware of decisions taken by officials in his department, whether concerning low-alcohol liquor, the grant of licences for the sale of Hortiwine or the issuance of permits to bars.
“Each time he expresses dissatisfaction. So he should be called the Dissatisfaction Minister,” Rajesh said, taking a dig at Liju.
Responding to Rajesh, Liju said he was dissatisfied with the previous Left government for allowing liquor to be easily available in the state, but had taken action to address the issue.
“I have not gone around airing my dissatisfaction. I expressed it through my actions,” he said.
“While Rajesh was always satisfied when liquor was flowing through the state, I am not. I am dissatisfied with a system which allows so many bars to operate in the state,” he added.
(PTI News)
