People purchase liquor from a shop in Varanasi. (Credits: PTI)
NEW DELHI: Forty days into the national lockdown implemented to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic, India allowed liquor shops to open on Monday resulting in chaotic scenes across cities.
The ministry of home affairs had relaxed lockdown restrictions last week which allowed liquor shops to open across the country. It had also asked people to strictly follow social distancing guidelines while purchasing liquor.
However, commotion erupted outside many liquor vends, as scores of people thronged there to buy liquor after over a month. Officials had painstakingly drawn chalk circles for buyers of booze to stand in but the social distancing efforts were thwarted as people gathered from early morning.
Shut down liquor vends: Urge Delhi’s RWAs; suggest odd-even formula
Nearly 150 liquor shops were opened in the national capital in the third phase of the lockdown on Monday. Long queues were seen outside liquor shops in the Lajpat Nagar, Lado Sarai, which led to traffic jam in the area. The liquor shop at Sheikh Sarai Phase 1 had to pull down its shutter, as the crowd became unmanageable. Residents aid that people started gathering outside liquor shops from as early as 8.30 a.m. “Many were without masks, violating the social distancing guidelines,” said a Malviya Nagar resident.
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The Resident Welfare Associations (RWA’s) in the city have urged the government to immediately close down all liquor vends and review arrangements. Some even suggested the Delhi government to first review the situation and open the vends in proper phased manner to ensure that no social distancing norms are flouted.
“The government can adopt odd-even formula to control crowds, can think about home delivery of liquor on lines of the We