After over five weeks, liquor vends in Haryana reopened from Wednesday with people following social distancing norms to purchase their drink.
The vends will remain open from 7 am to 7 pm.
The state government has imposed a variable Covid cess, which has made different categories of liquor including Imported Foreign Liquor, Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, country liquor and beer costlier than before.
At different vends in districts including Karnal, Panchkula, Gurgaon, Kaithal, Rohtak and Bhiwani, moderate rush of buyers was witnessed.
Home Minister Anil Vij said he had strictly ordered district police chiefs that social distancing should be ensured. “I had directed them that if there is any violation, then, liquor contractors will be held responsible,” he said.
It will be ensured that social distancing is maintained at the vends and there is proper barricading, he said, adding that customers will have to stand six feet apart.
Only five customers at a time were being allowed to stand on the sales counter of the retail liquor vend. Ten minutes before the closure of a retail vend, no customer shall be allowed to stand in queue, except the five customers already at the counter.
Wearing face masks is mandatory for customers and salesmen while liquor vend owners will have to make available hand sanitisers at the counter at all times.
The state government had in a cabinet decision on Tuesday decided to open the retail liquor vends throughout the state barring in containment zones. However, no ahataasor open drinking places adjacent to liquor vends will be allowed. Haryana government had shut down liquor vends in the state from March 27, two days after a countrywide lockdown came into force.