KSBC faces daily loss of Rs 8 crore since April 1

Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a cue from the beer and wine parlours and clubs that were re-opened with High Court orders, the Kerala State Beverages Corporation is also planning to open its outlets making use of the loopholes.

The Beverages Corporation, which has been suffering daily revenue loss of about Rs 8 crore after the closure of nearly 175 outlets from April 1, hopes to reopen over 50 shops in the coming days. The corporation has already initiated steps to reopen about 10 shops in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

Already about 50 beer and wine parlours and two clubs in the state have been opened by obtaining interim court orders on the grounds that the many main roads were not having the status of national highway now with the coming up of by-passes. Two notifications issued by the PWD in 2000 declaring several stretches as city roads and district roads are paving the way for opening of the beer and wine parlours that were shut on April 1 on the basis of the Supreme Court order banning liquor outlets within 500 metres from national and state highways.

Six beer and wine parlours in Thiruvananthapuram district were permitted by excise authorities to reopen on Wednesday on the basis of the High Court interim order. The order was on the ground of a contention that with the commissioning of Kazhakoottam by-pass, the Kazhakoottam – Ulloor - Kesavadasapuram - Statue – Thampanoor  road up to Parassala could not be considered as NH. Over 40 beer and wine parlours in the district are likely to get the benefit of this.

Meanwhile, the Beverages Corporation managing director has  informed the government that with the closure of around 175 shops the corporation’s daily sales had come down by about Rs 8 crore and hence the monthly dip would be over Rs 200 crore. He also cited that if this trend continued, the corporation’s existence would be  in danger.