1 million people to lose job in India: Blame drunken driving for it

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1 million people to lose job in
India: Blame drunken driving for it
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The Supreme Court’s verdict on banning all liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways has been made effective since yesterday. While food entrepreneurs thought that five star hotels and fine dining restaurants would be kept off the purview, but that didn’t really happen. Last Friday, the apex court has ruled that December 15 order on banning liquor across national and state highways will be applicable on hotels and restaurants as well.

The people in the business of hospitality now fear loss of jobs that may count upto one million across the country.

"As an industry we are completely shocked. States like Maharashtra, Assam and Tamil Nadu were of the opinion that the ban would be imposed only on liquor shops. We are pegging the loss of revenue to about 40% ,” Pradeep Shetty, member of the legal committee at the Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Associations of India told Economic Times. He added that incidental losses will lead to retrenchment and the loss of employment could be about 1 million.

In Delhi NCR, premium hotels like Westin, Trident, Leela and a few in the Aerocity will be badly affected by the ban in terms of business. Cyber hub, a home to an array of resto-bars would be hit.

Cities like Goa, that would see the maximum loss in business as almost 3000 liquor joints would be shut are pinning their hopes on the new CM Manohar Parrikar.
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However, the Supreme Court has ruled that most car accidents in India happen due to drunk driving. Delhi records 1,500 to 1,700 road fatalities and 6,000 to 75,500 grievous injuries in road accidents every year. Out of this, government record shows, 70% of fatalities occur due to drunken driving.