Newmai News Network Aizawl | April 3 As many as 12 liquor shops were closed down in Mizoram following the Supreme Court’s order which prohibits opening of liquor shops within the diameter of 500 meters on highways. Mizoram puts in force the Supreme Court’s order from April 1. Excise & Narcotics superintendent of Aizawl district, Z Lalhmangaiha said that 12 out of 34 liquor shops within Aizawl were shut down by the department on Saturday as they were located within 500 meters from the highways. Besides shutting down their shops, the vending license of the owners were suspended for some time which would be renewed if the owners are able to relocate their liquor shops 500 meters away from highways, he said. Meanwhile, liquor shops along Aizawl by-pass road between Falkland and Zampuimanga Lungphun were not closed down as the road has been declared as city road. Liquor shops along Hrangchalkawn to Zotlang in Mizoram's south Lunglei town were also not shut down as the road has been declared as city road. State Excise & Narcotics minister R. Lalzirliana had earlier told the assembly house that there are as many as 71,230 liquor permit holders in Mizoram under Mizoram Liquor Prohibition & Control (MLPC), Act which came into force in the state since January 2015. The minister also said that licences for 39 liquor shops and two bars were given within the jurisdiction of Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC), while some of the licence holders were yet to open the shops.
