Liquor stocks dwindle; Catholic weddings to lose spirit

The Catholic wedding ceremonies in Goa are the obvious sufferers of the liquor famine that the state is likely to face in the next couple of days.

Protesting Election Commission's orders to submit daily statement of liquor sale, the wholesalers and distributors have shut down their shutters since Thursday.The liquor stocks in the retail outlets are drying up and the factories are averse to selling directly to the retailers without keeping wholesalers in the chain.This has propelled fears that liquor will be scarce in the state even as several Catholic weddings are planned during this month.
   
"The wedding season has started and beer is the most sought after commodity for these celebrations. The beer availability has hit hard in the state," Bernabe Sapeco, Convenor, All Goa Liquor Traders association, has said. He said that the beer will run out of stock in the next couple of days.
   
The wholesalers, who are the major link between the manufacturers and retailers, have decided to keep their shops shut till April 23, when the state will go to polls."It's virtually impossible to give daily statement of the sale," Sapeco said. The state excise officials refused to comment on the situation.

What has made matters worse is that wedding organisers cannot get liquor in wholesale from the factories."Only those halls or dance floors which are registered with the government can get the bulk liquor. And majority of such wedding venues are not registered," Sapeco said.

Goa has around 2,000 wholesalers scattered all across the state."With the strike, the State Government is losing Rs five to eight lakh every day in terms of revenue," he said.It's not just weddings, the tourism industry is also sitting with its fingers crossed over the development.

"At the moment, there is no impact on the tourism," Ralf de Souza, President, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), said. He said the tourists, especially domestic, are still arriving in Goa. "Hoteliers are under pressure that there should not be a shortage," de Souza added.

Excise commissioner Sandip Jacques refused to speak on the impending crisis. The wholesalers, however, are optimistic that a solution will be worked out."Excise department is not harassing us. They are following EC norms. These norms should be relaxed," Sapeco said.