Panaji, Aug 26 (TOI): Protests from women's groups and anti-alcoholics notwithstanding, the number of liquor bars in Goa is growing with the years such that now, there is one liquor bar for every 214 people in a state, considering a population of 15 lakh.

According to figures obtained from the excise department, there were 6,919 liquor bars in Goa in 2011-12, but with about 95 new licenses being issued every year, the present number of liquor bars in the state has swelled to 7,208. But excise department sources said that about 100 of these must have closed down. By bar, we mean an outlet for the retail sale of Indian made foreign liquor and country liquor for consumption.

In addition, there are shops selling Indian made foreign liquor and country liquor in packed bottles. These were 1,430 in 2011-12. These have now grown to 1,664 in Goa.

Besides, Goa also has taverns where only country liquor is sold for consumption. The government has stopped issuing licenses for these because they lack toilet facilities and there are still 160 such taverns operating in Goa.

The government charges 25,000 per annum as license processing fees for liquor bars. The actual license fee for a non-airconditioned bar varies from 7,000 per annum to 12,000 per annum. For "A" class municipalities and coastal villages, the license fee is 12,000; for "B" and "C" class municipalities, it is 6,000; and for other villages, it is 4,000 per annum.

The corresponding prices for air-conditioned bars are 22,000, 14,000 and 8,000 respectively.

Business must be good because the numbers are only growing and the government has no plans to restrict the number of bars in Goa. Excise commissioner Menino D'Souza said that the in the last budget speech of 2015-16, the government stated that pet bottle licenses and wholesale licenses (liquor shops) will be given to only those who have 15-year residences.

D'Souza also said that the timing of wine shops selling alcohol in packed bottles has been restricted from 8am to 9pm. Earlier, they were allowed to operate till 11pm. After the government realized that people were drinking out in the open and making a nuisance in public, it restricted the closing time to 9pm. The only way to get around this restriction is to pay the government an additional amount of Rs 50,000 per annum to remain open till 1am. In coastal areas and in "A" class municipal areas, this can be extended to 4am by paying an additional Rs 2,50,000.

The excise commissioner also said that the department takes care while granting new licenses to wine shops. Department officials conduct interviews with the applicants and advise them on various do's and don'ts; no selling alcohol to underage persons (below 21) which is a crime; no selling loose alcohol but only in packed bottles; no selling alcohol to already drunk persons, etc.

While existing excise inspectors in all talukas are enforcing these rules, the excise department has also formed a flying squad to enforce these and other such rules after office hours.

But Sabina Martins of Bailancho Saad has faulted the government policy on liquor. "The government is promoting addictions to alcohol, gambling etc as a source of revenue. We are saying that the government needs to promote good human resources and the government is degenerating human resources. Because of one alcohol addict, a woman will not be able to work, a child will not be able to study and that one addict prevents their positive contribution to the economy."