India’s western state of Gujarat’s Alcohol Prohibition Policy of 1960 has proved a significant loss to industries like Tourism and has kept away most of its tourists from visiting the state.
Gujarat is one of the ‘dry’ States where manufacturing and sale of liquor is prohibited.
However, in its recent announcement, the state department has given liquor permits to 5 more hotels.
These hotels will now be able to offer liquor to its tourists and to the permit holders. Besides, these hotels will also be able to issue permits to the people visiting their hotels from other states and abroad.
To date, nearly 59 hotels in the state have been offered such licenses.
On Saturday, September 10, 2022, five more hotels were added to the list, making a total of 64 hotels across the state, which have received the permission to offer alcohol to its national and international tourists.
Nearly 20 such hotels are located in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district after the inclusion of Hotel Taj Skyline, a venture of Sankalp Group. The rest four included-Hotel Courtyard By Marriott in Surat, Hotel Leela Trade Link Pvt Ltd in Bhavnagar, Orchard Palace Hotel in Gondal, and Hotel Lion Lords Inn in Rajula of Amreli district.
A large section of people in Gujarat including the former Chief Minister Shankar Singh Vaghela believed that liquor ban should be removed from the state, but there’s also a faction that fully supported the liquor prohibition policy.
Nearly 39334 people in Gujarat are allowed to drink alcohol. Of these, liquor permits have been granted to 13034 people due to health reasons. The list included 1989 in Porbandar, 8054 in Surat, and in case of foreign visitors, Anand holds 896 permits; Vadodara holds 884 permits and Ahmedabad with 571 liquor permits.
According to sources, this initiative was taken to promote the Tourism industry across the state and also to serve the visitors and participants that flock in Gujarat for attending national and international conferences.
The Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949 clearly stated that police can arrest a person for purchasing, consuming, or serving alcohol without a valid permit with punishment ranging from three months to five years in prison.
The act also held that- “Punishment of 5-10 years, with a INR 1 to INR 5 lakh fine, for violence or nuisance after drinking. Dealing in spurious liquor can invite imprisonment from 10 years to life term.
The Gujarat law demands: 7-10 years of jail to accused found dealing in alcohol, and death penalty if a victim has died.
To date, consumption of alcohol is prohibited in the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Nagaland, and Mizoram, as well as the union territory of Lakshadweep. There is a partial ban on alcohol in some districts of Manipur.
In the year 2009, 143 Indians died after consuming spurious liquor in the state of Gujarat.
According to the World Health Organisation, there are several news reports on the number of mass deaths due to alcohol poisoning in rural areas across India every year.
The Emergency Management Research Institute (108 ambulance service), during August 1, 2007 – July 31, 2008 in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh recorded 40541 behavioural emergencies of which alcohol intoxication was the third most common emergency at 3 percent.
In India, advertising control policies vary according to States. Out of 30 States, prohibition on alcohol advertising, promotion and sponsorship is in place in 15 states, where ban on surrogate advertising clearly declared in two States, including Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, and ban of advertising at the point of sale implemented in four States.
