The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the state Govt that remove all liquor vends who are visible from national or state highways. To draft a policy on the distance of liquor vends from educational institutions, places of worship and national and state highways, court has constituted a committee and will submit its draft policy by the next date of hearing.
The committee comprises the Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary (Excise and Taxation), the Principal Secretary (Finance), the Principal Secretary (Education), the Principal Secretary (Social Justice and Empowerment) and the Director-General of Police.
The Bench directed the Principal Secretary (Excise and Taxation) to ensure that the recommendation of the HC was taken into consideration while formulating the excise policy for 2013-14. Bench also lambasted over the advertisement of liquor vends and directed the Principal Secretary (Excise and Taxation) to explain how these hoardings and advertisements were being permitted to be put up.
