Drinking alcohol will weaken the immunity system and can make the Corona virus worse, the WHO warned. Who cares? As the YSRCP ruling in a hurry to fill its coffers allowed alcohol to flow in the state, queues snaked several liquor stores in Andhra Pradesh as thirsty tipplers thronged the outlets in the green and orange zones on Monday after the government permitted restricted liquor sales.
After being closed for over two months of lockdown, a surge of tipplers raided the shelves at liquor stores and wine shops across the green and orange zones with the government allowing standalone shops to sell liquor between 11 am to 7 pm from today.
Following the guidelines of the Centre, physical distance should be maintained at liquor outlets, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed officials on Sunday at a review meeting. Persons visiting the shops will have to maintain social distance of at least six feet, but this norm was violated across the state even as the police tried to regulate the queues. Each person is allowed to buy only two bottles.
In some places in the districts, people had reportedly began queuing up in the night itself. As per the central government guidelines, the state government gave a directive to the liquor stores that at any given time no more than five persons will be allowed at such shops, to avoid chances of contracting the deadly disease. There were no markings outside the liquor stores where people will need to stand before they can purchase. Many of the tipplers were seen without masks, a norm for purchase of alchohol. As per the norm, no more than five persons at any given time should not be allowed. Even this mandate was violated at several places. Staff at some liquor stores were also seen without masks and gloves.
At most liquor stores, people queued up as early as 8 am to buy liquor even as alcohol got expensive by at least 25 per cent. On Saturday, the government hiked the cost of liquor by 25 percent. IMFL quarter bottles above Rs 150 will be dearer by Rs 60, Rs 40 hike on quarter bottles priced between Rs 120-Rs 150, Rs 120 and Rs 240 hike on half and full bottles respectively, while quarter bottles priced below Rs 120 have been hiked by Rs 20. The government is likely to shore up an additional Rs 4,500 crore to its coffer by hiking liqour prices by 25 per cent. A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister on Sunday at a review meeting held at his camp office in Tadepalli.
On Saturday, the Andhra Pradesh government has lifted restrictions on production of alcohol in distilleries and breweries subject to the protocol and guidelines that are to be followed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The Jagan government had issued an order in this regard giving permission to 20 distilleries to resume operations in their districts with immediate effect.
The Opposition was quick to react saying rather than solving the problems of the farmers and migrant workers, the state government was more worried about those into liquor trade. The Opposition leaders asked if the government was working for welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh or are they working for profiteering of liquor distillery owners
TDP leader Kala Venkatrao said while the entire world was working hard to find vaccine to Covid-19, the YSRCP ruling was brewing alcohol in Andhra Pradesh at a time when the state was witnessing surging Corona positive numbers, .
He said the Jagan government had failed to show seriousness in providing medical gear to the frontline warriors, but exhibiting its overzealous approach in allowing distillers to brew alcohol. “Is the Jagan government opening more medical and pharmacy stores? The seriousness with which the government was working to profit from liquor sales by permitting distillers must be exhibited in containing corona virus. The government had failed to provide PPEs, N95 masks and gloves but looks too eager to allow liquor stores only to get commissions and kick-backs from liquor lobby,” the senior TDP leader said.
The liquor shops were opened at a time there were fewer shops are selling essentials. “Shops selling groceries and essentials are being closed but this government is permitting liquor stores. It clearly exposes this government’s dubious policy,” he said.
