Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Aug 10: “The district administration has banned sale of liquor in a radius of five kilometres from state borders. The liquor dealers are incurring loss due to the ban while illegal sale of liquor is in progress without interruption at the borders,” stated a memorandum submitted by the district wine merchants association to the deputy commissioner in the leadership of R Dhanraj.

Louis J Pinto, of the association said that the wine merchants are paying licence fee in advance and running their business legally. “Most of the merchants are incurring loss due to the Covid conditions. Illegal sale of liquor has increased at the borders after the recent orders by the district administration. People are buying liquor there at twice the prices and the officials have failed to stop the business.”

“Liquor sale is also allowed in some lodges for its customers. The lodges are supplying liquor to the nearby states and earning much more than the legal liquor merchants and bars. Therefore, the condition of wine shop owners who run their business after obtaining license from the government and paying tax has become problematic.”

“The bars and wine shops are ordered closed during certain religious festivals. There are no unrests due to consumption of liquor in the district. But we close the businesses two hours before the rallies. The deputy commissioner is requested to look into the matter,” he said.

District wine merchants association president M Ganesh, chief secretary C N Appachu, Om Prasad, Chandranath Attavar. Karunaker Shetty, Manjunath Rai, A Navin Naik, Sharath Maroli, Arun Raj,. Triveni Peruvadi and others were present.