Though the Kerala High Court is yet to give its verdict on the order to close down all bars in the State except those attached to five-star hotels, the Oommen Chandy Government is going ahead with the other elements of its controversial liquor policy.
On Wednesday, the government published the list of 39 of liquor outlets that will be closed down from October 2 as part of the policy to close one-tenth of liquor outlets in the State every year to achieve prohibition in 10 years.
Of the 39 to be closed, 34 are owned by the government-run Kerala State Beverages Corporation, which controls around three-fourths of the liquor market. The other five are run by Consumerfed (Kerala State Cooperatives Consumer Federation Ltd). The 39 that are being axed are spread across 13 of the State’s 14 districts. Several of these outlets have been facing anti-liquor activists’ wrath and a few of them have been witnessing agitations and dharnas by social organisations and women’s groups.