Bhubaneswar, Mar 4: Based on the orders of the SC, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Friday announced that all liquor shops along the National and State Highways will be shifted 500 metres away from the highways by Mar 31. He directed all the District Collectors that if the 1712 liquor shops set along the National and State Highways are not shifted within said time, they will be permanently closed from Apr 1. The Collectors have been instructed to notify the same to all the liquor shop owners. The SC had issued a directive in which it was stated that liquor shops will be shifted to beyond 500 metres from all National Highways and State Highways in Odisha.
In Jan, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Excise, Bishnupada Sethi had informed that presently around more than 3900 liquor shops are being operated along the National Highways and State Highways in Odisha out of which more than 1700 have come up within the identified zones. If these liquor shops are made to shift from their identified zones, there would be a loss of Excise revenue to the tune of Rs 1100 crore pa.
