Ker govt not for denotifying NH and State Highways:Minister

CPI-M-led LDF government in Kerala today made it clear that it would not denotify national and state highways, a method adopted by some states to circumvent the Supreme Court order banning liquor sale within 500 metres of national and state highways.
Government has taken a decision that it will not denotify the status of national and state highways in the backdrop of the apex court order on liquor sale, State Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran told the assembly.
The minister said states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka have denotified NH and state highways to sidestep the apex court order.
"The state has not changed the status of any roads in the state to overcome the apex court order," the minister said while replying to a calling attention moved by M Vincent (Cong).

The minister also said the National Highways Authority decides the status of old national highways when a new NH becomes operational.
Vincent said the Karamanna-Kaliyikavilla national highway connecting Kerala and neighboring Tamil Nadu has been made district roads to enable opening of liquor shops.

State Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan informed the House that of the 1126 toddy shops closed following the Supreme Court order, 66 have been relocated and reopened.
Efforts were also on to relocate the remaining toddy shops which remained closed due to the order, he said.
The state government would take all necessary steps to protect the jobs of workers at toddy shops that have been affected due to the apex court order.

He also said a meeting of toddy workers union and toddy shop owners would be convened to sort out the issues.
Ramakrishnan said the apex court order had adversely affected the tourism sector.