more-inAs many as 152 bars, including those in 23 five-star hotels in the State, will resume functioning on Sunday once the new excise policy of the Left Democratic Front government comes into force on Saturday. The bars will remain open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and in tourism zones, they will function from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. The bars were shut down following a change in the excise policy of the previous United Democratic Front government. The LDF government, in line with the commitment given in its election manifesto, reversed the policy and decided to open the bars in classified hotels in three-star and above categories. Debilitating impact of the previous government’s excise policy on the tourist sector and rise in drug trade were some of the reasons that prompted the government to revise its policy.

Source: The Hindu June 30, 2017 14:48 UTC