After a 45-day lockdown, Tamil Nadu will open liquor shops on May 7. But if you’re planning on stocking up, it isn’t going to be a walk in the park. For starters, all liquor stores in Chennai will remain shut as the city has started battling a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases.
A day after the Tamil Nadu government allowed its TASMAC liquor outlets to open, fears of overcrowding at these shops and possible worsening of the case count in the state capital, prompted a clarification that liquor stores in Chennai will be shut until further notice.
'No buying from adjoining districts'
A drive from Chennai to neighbouring Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts won’t help either, as the state police has instructed liquor stores to sell only to residents of these towns, after they produce a valid ID and proof of residence. The Tamil Nadu Directorate General of Police issued a notice on May 5 stating that residents of Chennai attempting to buy liquor from neighbouring districts could face possible arrest.
'Only one bottle per customer'
If availability is one hurdle, getting sufficient supply is another. While refusing to stay the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to re-open liquor stores in the state, the Madras High Court made it clear that only one bottle per person will be sold at TASMAC outlets, and that each customer could buy a bottle only once every three days. The court also ruled that online sale of liquor could be permitted.
'Excise duty hiked by 15 percent'
But that’s not all. The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to hike excise duty by 15 percent on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IFML) also means that you could pay anywhere between Rs 10 to 20 more per bottle, which is still a far cry from the Delhi government’s 70 percent coronavirus tax, and the Andhra Pradesh Government’s 75 percent price-hike per bottle.
In Tamil Nadu, alcohol shops are a government-run monopoly as all retail occurs under the umbrella of the state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation or TASMAC. Chennai's recent spike in coronavirus cases prompted the DMK-led opposition to protest against the government’s decision to re-open these state-run liquor shops on May 7. Following this, a government clarification said all TASMAC outlets in Chennai will remain shut, but will open in other parts of the state.
The total number of COVID-19 cases spiked in Chennai to 2,328 after 324 samples tested positive on Wednesday. Tamil Nadu’s total count stands at 4,829 cases, of which Wednesday saw its largest single-day spike of 771.
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