Liquor shops remain open in UP amid curfew

Lucknow: With Uttar Pradesh government authorising the districts to take a call on opening of the liquor shops, several districts took the opportunity to allow the shops to open from Tuesday with strict Covid guidelines.

Amidst the ongoing ‘corona curfew’ in the state, liquor shops were opened in Agra, Noida and Hapur districts.

As the liquor shops opened, people thronged the outlets, violating all Covid norms.

According to the order by the districts, shops will be allowed to operate from 1000 hrs to 1900 hrs. However, the bar and model shop will continue to have restrictions. People will also be restricted from consuming liquor at bars or model shops.

The state government has left the decision to district magistrates for the opening of liquor shops in their respective districts. The DM may allow the excise department to open liquor shops as per the circumstances of the district. The District Magistrates of many districts of UP have received the letter of the department to open liquor shops.

The Lucknow DM will also decide on the excise department’s letter on Tuesday.

According to the excise sources, there was no order from the government to close the excise shops while deciding the curfew. But shops have been closed for the last several days. Due to which, the liquor shopkeeper association has lodged objections. The association has asked the excise department to permit to open shops.

According to the information, the UP Liquor Association wrote a letter to the Chief Minister seeking permission to open liquor shops. The association said that there was a revenue loss of around Rs 100 crore daily due to the closure. At the same time, the association had also argued that there was no mention of the closure of liquor shops in the guideline of the Corona curfew. (UNI)