Exepmtion to tourist-spot bars opposed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) Madya Virudha Samithi has opposed the UDF Government’s move to grant exemption to tourist spots for operating bars. While welcoming the anti-addiction campaigns promised by the new liquor policy, the Samithi demanded that the functioning hours of bars recommended in the policy should be scrapped.Madya Virudha Samithi leaders led by Vicar-General of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese Monsignor Eugene Pereira told a press conference here on Tuesday that while reexamining the policy, the government should allow panchayats to regulate liquor shops as per the Panchayat Raj Act.The LDF Government in 1999 had frozen sections 232, 447 in the law and the prospective governments too kept mum on its implementation. As the UDF manifesto gave assurance on its restoration, the Council demanded its implementation at the earliest.Bar licences should not be issued to star hotels in the name of tourism. Such moves would only increase the availability of liquor, he said. Liquor shops should be allowed to function only from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The age-limit of 21 for consumption and distance between bars recommended by the policy are encouraging, they said.