Lucknow: As the Uttar Pradesh government announced opening of stand-alone liquor shops in all the three red, orange and green zones in the state, huge queues were seen outside liquor shops on Monday even before the shops were opened. Sensing the splurge and possible bulk buying, the UP Excise Department has capped the liquor purchase per person for next few days in the state. Also, police personnel have been deployed at the liquor shops to ensure social distancing and to maintain law and order.
Huge queues were spotted at almost all the liquor shops in the state as people started to line up as early as 8am at some places. The social distancing norms were being followed at maximum of the places as people stood in long queues even after soaring temperatures. While some complained of not getting their favourite brands, many were happy to get liquor after more than 40 days of the lockdown.
Speaking to media on the issue, Principal Secretary Excise Sanjay R Bhoosreddy said, “For next three to four days there will be a cap on buying liquor in the state. At once one person will be allowed to buy one full bottle, two half bottles, three quarters, two beer bottles and three cans only.” The Principal Secretary Excise also inspected some liquor shops in the state capital to check over pricing and to check the social distancing measures being adopted at the liquor shops.
The state government had given relaxation of opening stand-alone liquor shops in all the three zones from 10am to 7pm but still liquor shops in Agra and Meerut didn’t open. The Agra district has been worst effected from the coronavirus and till date with maximum number of positive cases. So far 596 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Agra and 14 people have died. Meanwhile, Meerut has reported 114 Covid-19 positive cases with six deaths due to coronavirus.
In Moradabad, people thronged liquor shop located near PAC Tiraha in Civil Line area as they forgot social distancing. Meanwhile in Ambedkarnagar district, which is a green zone area, liquor shops opened while other shopkeepers kept waiting for orders from the administration to open their shops. In Barabanki district, administration has ordered that not more than one and a half litre of liquor could be sold to a single person.
In Gonda district, police had a tough time in making people practise social distancing while liquor shopping. In Ballia, district administration ensured that people are not overcharged and gave strict orders to salesmen at various liquor shops not to overcharge people. Similar conditions prevailed outside liquor shops in Chandauli and Mughalsarai.
Comments
0 comment