The liquor shops in Haryana reopened after 48 days on May 6 following the State Government’s permission for the same along with the imposition of a 'Covid cess' on alcohol.
People queued up outside liquor shops in Gurugram on Wednesday morning amid coronavirus lockdown 3.0.
They were seen standing outside liquor shops across the district. However, the buyers were following social distancing norms outside the liquor shops.
Earlier on May 5, deputy Chief Minister Haryana Dushyant Chautala had informed that 'Covid cess' will be Rs 5 per quarter in case of country liquor, Rs 20 per quarter in case of Indian-made foreign liquor, Rs 5 in case of strong beer and Rs 2 in case of other beer.
It will be Rs 50 per pack greater than 375 ML in case of imported foreign liquor, with effect from May 6.
The Haryana Government has decided to open retail liquor vends from May 6 except in the areas demarcated as 'Containment Zones'. Retail liquor vends are allowed to open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
The excise department said 200 shops out of around 218 liquor shops were permitted to be opened on Wednesday.
The Haryana Government had banned the sale of liquor in the state from March 27 in view of the imposition of lockdown. However, within a period of last one and a half month, the Gurugram police had registered 73 cases for liquor smuggling or bootlegging and 71 accused were arrested. Also, the police had seized 10,948 bottles of country liquor, 4063 bottles of English wine and 67 beer bottles.
However, the State has also suffered a massive loss of around Rs 400 crore per month due to closure of liquor vends in the state. Apart from this Gurugram has so far reported 104 positive cases including 17 fresh cases on Wednesday in which 10 cases are linked from Azadpur sabzi mandi, New Delhi, 4 from Dundahera village and 3 from Madaan hospital.