No more liquor or tobacco plants in industrial estates
PTI, PANAJI | 26 July 2012 12:46 IST
In what can be termed as a positive start for anti-smoking and anti-tobacco campaign, the Goa government has decided not to allow any more tobacco and liquor manufacturing firms in its industrial estates.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar told the state legislative assembly last night that liquor and tobacco companies will no more be allowed to set up their plants in the industrial estate managed by state-run Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
Goa has 15-odd industrial estate with three more estates planned in states rural areas.
Parrikar said the ban on any more tobacco and liquor industry is a part of the state government social responsibility initiatives.
The chief minister said if there is consensus amongst members of the House, the state government can even move for a moratorium on number of bars (liquor outlets) in the state.
He said that there is a bar for every 150 people in the state which is not a good sign.
Pointing out to the applications by widows and single women to avail benefit under Dayanand social security scheme, the chief minister said that 30,000 applications indicate that the situation is grave.
"There is a huge male mortality due to liquor consumption. The trend is very dangerous," he said.
