Committed to total prohibition in Kerala: Chennithala

With Kerala aiming for complete prohibition, the state government will prepare a roadmap to deal with the financial and other implications, including the impact on tourism sector, state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala today said.
"It can be called a Kerala model," Chennithala told reporters while replying to queries on his government's moves to gradually make it a dry state.
The Home Minister said the state will prepare a roadmap to address the issues including huge financial implications arising out of the situation.
"Phasing out of liquor from the state is a promise made in the manifesto of the ruling Congress-led UDF. We are committed to implement it," he said.

Chennithala admitted that the tourism sector of Kerala, which is one of the biggest revenue sources for the state government, will be impacted due to the decision.
He, however, said that the state would prepare a plan to attract more tourists to the state.

The Home Minister, who refused to comment on the Surpreme Court order allowing the bar owners to operate till September-end, said that more police force has to be recruited for effectively implementing the liquor ban policy.
He said he will place the matter before the state Cabinet next week.
Under the new policy, the UDF Government had last month decided to shut around 700 bars attached to hotels below five-star categories. It had directed the bar owners to shut their shops down from September 12.