More than Rs 100 crore worth of liquor was…
More than Rs 100 crore worth of liquor was sold on the first day in the state
In the third phase of the lockdown, as liquor sales were allowed, there were queues outside liquor stores in different states.
In the third phase of the lockdown, as liquor sales were allowed, there were queues outside liquor stores in different states. The rush outside the shops to buy liquor led to social distress. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. This was reported by the Times of India.
A few hours were wasted in the confusion over whether to allow liquor shops to open in Mumbai. Finally the order came late. Most owners plan to open the store on Tuesday morning. The district administration did not allow the opening of shops in Solapur city and Aurangabad.
In Bangalore, too, there was widespread violation of the rules of social discrimination in riots outside shops. Many had lined up others for themselves. Many states have received a lot of revenue from the first day of liquor shops.
The economic downturn is currently stalled due to the lockdown. So there is a crunch in the coffers of all the states. According to Uttar Pradesh excise officials, more than Rs 100 crore worth of liquor was sold on Monday. In Uttar Pradesh, when there is no lockdown, an average of 70 to 80 crores of liquor is sold daily. Lucknow, the state capital, sold 6.3 crore units of liquor. Many had to close their shops in the afternoon as stocks ran out.