BHUBANESWAR: Bowing to pressure from several quarters, the state government on Friday dropped its plan to operate beach shacks and serve liquor in the jurisdiction of Puri municipality and other places having socio-religious-cultural significance.
Announcing the decision, Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the department issued a notification in this regard to bring clarity on the entire matter. Beach shacks will not be allowed in the jurisdiction of Puri municipality and within five km of any place of socio-religious-cultural significance.
The Excise department notification read, “It is hereby notified that no licence shall be granted in the jurisdiction of Puri municipality and within five km of any other place of socio-religious-cultural significance. The places of socio-religious-cultural significance will be decided by the Tourism department.”
The state government took a U-turn on its earlier plan to open beach shacks and serve liquor in them to boost tourism, following protests from several quarters including Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati. Several organisations had held demonstration in front of Shree Jagannath temple at Puri on Wednesday protesting the decision to open beach shacks.
The organisations also submitted a memoramdum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi through Puri collector Siddharth Shankar Swain demanding immediate withdrawal of the government proposal to construct shacks along the beach.
The excise policy announced by the state government on August 30 had stated that to promote tourism, serving liquor in beach shacks is allowed in Odisha. The licence for location and the number of beach shacks allowed for serving liquor will be based on the approval of Tourism department.
The policy also stated that the beach shacks will be allowed to operate throughout the year or for a period as decided by Tourism department, depending on climatic conditions. However, Friday’s notification said the excise policy has been amended suitably in this regard.