(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A meeting of the leaders of the UDF constituents here on Thursday decided to reduce the availability of liquor in the state by closing down all liquor bars below the five star standards from April 1 2015.In a historic move the Kerala’s ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has decided to set in motion a time-bound process for implementing total prohibition in the state.
A meeting of the leaders of the UDF constituents here on Thursday decided to reduce the availability of liquor in the state by closing down all liquor bars below the five star standards from April 1 2015 and 10 per cent outlets of the Kerala Beverages Corporation the government distributor of liquor in the state every year.
The meeting decided to kick off the process by closing down 313 liquor bars now functioning in the state from April 1 2015. Four hundred eighteen bars which were shut down on April 1 2014 will remain permanently closed.
Briefing newsmen about the decision of the UDF meeting Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the decisions were taken unanimously by leaders of all the parties in the ruling coalition. He said that the state cabinet will meet shortly and take administrative decision on the recommendations.
He said that the government will convey its decision to the High Court which is now considering petitions from owners of closed liquor bars for renewal of the licence. The High Court had last week constituted an expert panel to evaluate the standards of the closed bars to decide whether they meet the prescribed standards for reopening.
Chandy said that the decision to implement total prohibition was in accordance with the UDF manifesto. “We have done a lot to reduce the availability of liquor in the last three years we were in power. We will make Kerala liquor-free in the next 10 years” he added.
He said that the government would be losing revenue of Rs75 billion due to the decision. The government will not consider this as a loss as the damage caused to the state and the people by the liquor was much more.
With over eight litres per person Kerala has the highest per capita liquor consumption in the country today. It has surpassed traditionally hard-drinking states such as Punjab and Haryana long time ago. It’s estimated that 5 per cent of the state’s population (roughly one in 10 men) is addicted to liquor.
The process for total prohibition was initiated in 1996 by the then Congress-led government headed by the then Chief Minister A K Anotny by banning arrack the country liquor.
Prohibitionists have welcomed the present UDF decision. For more news from Khaleej Times follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes and on Twitter at khaleejtimes Follow khaleejtimes ->
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