Thiruvananthapuram: In Kerala, 55-year-old Sarojini is now a relieved mother. Her 35-year-old son will no longer have easy access to liquor.
"When bars were briefly banned, my son stopped drinking but after the bars reopened, he started drinking again," Sarojini tells NDTV.
On Tuesday, Kerala's no-liquor policy was given a thumbs up by the High Court, which said that it is in line with the Indian Constitution.
From now, only the 26 five-star hotels in Kerala are allowed to serve alcohol. Hotels below five-star can sell wine and beer and supplies to government-run outlets will be cut by 10 per cent annually.
Upholding the new alcohol policy of the Congress-led government, the High Court said, "The promotion of tourism cannot translate into promotion of liquor. The government policy is not arbitrary and inconsistent with the Constitution."
It is a big step for a state that earns nearly Rs 8,000 crore every year from the sale of alcohol, but now aims to be a zero alcohol state in 10 years. The state government has hiked excise duty on beer to five percent and that on liquor to eight per cent to offset revenue losses.
Unhappy with the liquor clampdown, bar owners have decided to move Supreme Court.
Bar employees like Sajan, who has been a bartender for 25 years, fears losing his job. "I don't know any other work. This move will drive me to suicide", he says. But the government policy promises alternate jobs or monetary compensation for effected employees.