The Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar has introduced the new ‘Goa Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ in the Goa Assembly on Monday. According to which the consuming of liquor in the public and no alcohol consumption zone will amount into the huge fines that may go up to Rs. 10,000 depending upon the discretion of a concerned authorities. Read the full report here.
[su_expand more_text=”READ MORE” less_text=” ” height=”0″ hide_less=”yes” link_style=”button” link_align=”center”]To curb the nuisance of alcohol in the state chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar has tabled the new excise bill (Goa Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2016) on Monday. According to the new bill, the consumption of liquor at the proposed sites, yet to be declared, ‘no alcohol consumption zones’, will be prohibited and the law breakers will have to pay through their nose.
The bill was introduced to contain the nuisance of alcohol consumption in the public places, something similar to the cigarette smoking. The government of Goa will soon declare the ‘No Alcohol Consumption Zones’ in the state. According to the new law the first time offender may get the fine of up to Rs. 10000 while the subsequent offence will not cost less than Rs. 2000 said the sources.
According to the Goa state government there was a need for an amendment of Goa Excise Duty Act, 1964 to control the nuisance of alcohol consumption in the public. According to the sources, there were several complaints of consumption of liquor in the public places such as open spaces, beaches, roads that includes the national highways. The worst part of this was after the consumption of liquor in the public places the liquor bottles and cans were scattered carelessly around the entire area causing the environmental hazards and it was also posing the danger to pedestrians accessing that particular locations.
“Such persons after being in an inebriated state, cause nuisance to general public, disturb the peace and cause local tension, and pose a law and order situation on regular basis,” said Parsekar stated in his Statement of objects and reasons adding that “Section 10 B – prohibition of liquor in ‘no alcohol consumption zone’ has been added to Goa Excise Act that seeks to empower the government to declare a space, place or area, as ‘no alcohol consumption zone.”
The consumption of liquor is very severe during the season time and around the festivities and picnics that takes place locally time to time. Most of the tourist interest places are full with the broken liquor bottles and cans spread all over. There are several cases registered at various police stations in Goa for the nuisance of alcohol consumption in public places. The new law will not only bring the control over the locals but the tourists coming to state and consuming liquor across the state in open will also be stopped. Needless to say that the entire implementation will be finally depend upon the enforcement authorities as how they handle the situation at the end. Please feel free to share your comments and suggestions on this issue.
Source: Various sources
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