They are between three upcoming three Shahi Parvani dates of August 29, September 13 & 18.
Nashik’s restaurants, bars & wineshops are preparing to do battle against the local administration’s plan to enforce 12 dry days within the span of a month from August 27 to September 20.
Coming together on this issue, the local associations are lobbying the district administration to reconsider its 12 dry-day plan during the three Shahi Parvanis, i.e. two days prior to each Shahi Parvani day, the day of the Parvani and the day after.
The Association of Bars, Hotels, Restaurants (ABHAR), Nashik and Nashik District Wine Merchants Association (NDWMA) have, however, urged the administration to declare the Shahi Parvanis as dry days only are in consultation with the senior officials for this.
The three Shahi Parvanis are scheduled on August 29, September 13 and September 18. The liquor shops and bars will remain closed for 12 days during the three Shahi Parvnis – the auspicious occasions when sadhus and pilgrims take a holy dip in the Ramkund – if the district administration goes ahead with the plan.
“A 12-day spell of dry days in a span of 24 days will affect the business of bars and liquor shops. Kumbh is not being held for the first time in Nashik. There was single dry day on account of Shahi Parvanis during the 2013 Kumbh Mela. They are now considering four dry days on account of each Shahi Parvani. They can declare a dry day on the day of the Shahi Parvani,” said Sanjay Chavan, president, ABHAR.
“Four dry days on each Shahi Parvni have been proposed by the district administration in the limits of municipal corporation and the Trimbakeshwar municipal council. The final decision is yet to be taken by the district administration. There will be no effect on the revenue by the excise departments as we get 95% of our revenue from manufacturing,” said an excise department official.
“We are not against the dry days, but the government should exempt our licence fees for dry days. We pay a licence fee of INR 90,000 a month to the excise department. It comes down to INR 3,000 a day. The licence fees for 12 days are estimated at INR 36,000, which should be exempted. Moreover, we have to pay salaries to our employees for these 12 days too,” said a wine shop owner.
