C'garh: People throng liquor shops, defy social distancing

Shops of various non-essential

items, including liquor, opened across Chhattisgarh on Monday, except those located in COVID-19 containment zones and malls, officials said.

Long queues were witnessed outside liquor shops in several parts of the state and at many places people ignored the physical distancing norms, they said.

The state excise department, which has allowed liquor outlets to open from 8 am to 7 pm, is also working on starting home delivery of liquor at some places to discourage crowding at shops, an excise official said.

Local administrations of several districts have kept the liquor shop timings from 8 am to 4 pm, he said.

 

In the state capital Raipur, 44 out of the total 70 wine shops opened on Monday with adequate deployment of police personnel to ensure compliance with guidelines to curb the spread of coronavirus, he said.

There could be a rush initially, but things may get back to normal within a few days, a district administration official said.

The excise department has also been appointing delivery boys through placement agencies for liquor home delivery facility after its online bookings, the excise official said.

Since early Monday morning, several people thronged liquor outlets, which were closed since March 23, in various districts, including Raipur, Rajnandgaon and Korba.

People were seen standing within the circles drawn in front of some shops in Raipur to ensure they maintain physical distance of not less than six feet.

However, at other places, people defied the physical distancing norms and crowded the liquor shops.

A state official said liquor shops in COVID-19 containment zones, shopping complexes and malls will continue to remain shut.

Chhattisgarh has so far reported 57 COVID-19 cases, and 36 patients have been discharged after recovery. There has been no report of any death due to the disease in the state till now.