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Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to shift all liquor shops which have come up within 500 metres from the National Highways and State Highways, by April 1 this year.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high level review meeting presided over by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat here today.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, the Chief Secretary said as per the directive of the Supreme Court, liquor shops will be shifted to beyond 500 metres from all National Highways and State Highways in Odisha. The decision of the apex court will be implemented from April 1 this year.
“The meeting discussed about the implementation of the apex court order and identification of liquor shops. As it is yet to be decided on which parameters the liquor shops would be shifted, it was decided that the shifting would be done only after the norms to calculate 500 metres from the National Highways and State Highways are fixed,” he added.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Excise, Bishnupada Sethi said not only liquor shops but also other shops and hotels which have come up within 500 metres from the National Highways and State Highways will either be closed or shifted.
“At present, there are over 3900 liquor shops along the National Highways and State Highways in Odisha of which more than 1700 have come up within the identified zones. As per our estimate, there would be a loss of Excise revenue to the tune of Rs 1100 crore per annum if these liquor shops are shifted from the identified zones,” he pointed out.