Liquor ban: Sukhbir asks Cong govt to find a way out

With the apex court order banning the sale of liquor along highways affecting hotels, bars and restaurants, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked the Congress led government in the state to find ways to save the hospitality sector.

"I want to ask the Punjab government to find a way out as marriage palaces, hotels are facing closure (because of the order)," said Badal.

Sukhbir was in Kapurthala to attend party workers meeting here.

With the apex court banning the sale of liquor within 500 metres of highways, the affected hotel, bar and restaurant owners in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh are pinning hopes on the respective state governments to support their trade.

In Punjab, the representatives of Punjab Hotels Association termed the ban as "great setback" for the hospitality sector and urged the Congress-led state government to change the nomenclature of highways.

"We have requested the government to change the nomenclature of state highways to district roads. It will bring relief to at least 60 per cent of the affected hotels, bars and restaurants," said Punjab Hotels Association President, Satish Arora.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)