THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Tax Department has permitted more counters in bars for liquor sales. For each such ‘service desk’ they have to pay up a sum of Rs 25,000 as fees. The order to permit this was ordered by Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Asha Thomas on February 13.

Some counters had illegal extra counters owing to the rush and demand. The Excise took stringent action against licensees for this. It was a long time request of contractors to permit more counters. The government will get additional income through extra counters.

As per the Abkari Act, there is permission for only one counter in a bar hall. Later, permission to start a service desk along this was granted. During the reign of the UDF government, a small change was made to this. Service desks were allowed at bar halls, lawns, restaurants and rooftops without any service desks. This service is now allowed on a fixed fees basis.

Ignorance towards toddy bars

The government keeps on making decisions favoring bars, but always ignores the traditional business of toddy bars. Bar hotels with a star rating of four and above should maintain a distance of 50 meters from religious centers, educational institutions. This is 200 meters for three-star hotels. However, this is 400 meters for toddy bars. This government had promised to start a Toddy Board in order to protect the business, which was never fulfilled.