THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The much-anticipated state liquor policy will be announced on June 30, Excise and Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan informed the Assembly on Thursday.
The minister said had it not been for the Malappuram bypoll and his own indisposition, the policy would have seen the light much earlier.
On the High Court order to reopen a bar at Manjeri, Malappuram, Ramakrishnan said the state government would allow the bar to function only after complying with all legal norms.
Manjeri MLA M Ummer said the bar was within 50 metres of the Manjeri Medical College, a mosque and also close to the state highway.
Meanwhile, PWD Minister G Sudhakaran said the government has not renamed any road in the state to get around the court ruling to facilitate the reopening of bars.
Toddy Board
Highlighting the crisis in the toddy sector, Ramakrishnan said the government would constitute a Toddy Board to protect the interest of the workers. He said the previous UDF regime had taken a decision in this regard but it did not reach the implementation stage.
Requesting the Opposition’s cooperation in implementing the Vimukthi scheme aimed at rescuing people from drug/alcohol addiction, the minister said closing down bars alone could not eradicate liquor consumption. He said former Chief Minister K Karunakaran and the Udayabhanu Commission also had taken a similar stand on blanket prohibition.