Opening Of Liquor Shops In Tamil Nadu: Here’s The Fresh Date, Timings During Lockdown 3.0

The decision to reopen liquor shops in Tamil Nadu came after Central government relaxed lockdown norms across the country, allowing non-essential services to resume in Green, Orange and even Red zones in all states.

The queues were seen from as early as 7 am in various cities of the country. (Image: PTI)

Chennai: After massive chaos witnessed in several cities of the country today, Tamil Nadu government on Monday decided to open liquor shops in the state from May 7. The decision to reopen liquor shops in Tamil Nadu came after Central government relaxed lockdown norms across the country, allowing non-essential services to resume in Green, Orange and even Red zones in all states. However, Edappadi Palaniswami-led government has imposed some restrictions for sale of alcohol in the state. In a statement issued, the government said the Tasmac liquor outlets will be opened from May 7 onwards. The shops will function between 10 am and 5 pm. "The decision to open the state-run retail outlets across Tamil Nadu was taken after people in districts bordering Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh started making a beeline to liquor shops there which started functioning from Monday, posing a challenge in controlling people's movement," the government said in an official statement. However liquor shops located in the containment or hotspot zones will continue to be closed. According to the government, social distance of six feet should be maintained between persons standing in a queue. ALSO WATCH | People Flout Social Distancing Norms Outside Liquor Stores For the state government, the sale of liquor is a major source of revenue and this was stopped for the past 40 days due to nationwide lockdown. Long queues were seen outside liquor shops in various parts of the country including Red zones such as Delhi, Noida and others since Monday morning as people lined up to purchase liquor. Liquor shops opened on Monday after a 40-day lockdown and people were seen buying multiple bottles. The queues were seen from as early as 7 am in various cities of the country and in some areas, social distancing norms were thrown to the wind as liquor connoisseurs thronged for a 'quota' of their favourite poison.

Liquor sales of Rs 45 crores recorded on the first day of opening of liquor shops: Karnataka Excise Department#COVID19Lockdown

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2020

While in some places, the tipplers put up a disciplined show of 'physical distancing' at most other sites, it was a free-for-all cocktail of the masses, giving a harrowing time to the police who struggled to keep them apart. After long queues outside liquor shops in the national capital, the Resident Welfare Associations (RWA's) in the city have urged the government to immediately close down all liquor vends and review arrangements. This even forced Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to issue a stern warning of sealing the area or shops where social distancing was not being followed. "People were not following social distancing at some places. I felt very sad... We will have to take strict actions for the people, if rules are not followed. I don't want to take any strict action but we have to do this for our people," Kejriwal said. (NOTE: It is to be understood that consumption of alcohol is injurious to health and it also reduces immunity in fighting Coronavirus.)