Closed Punjab liquor vends leave Bacchus lovers flustered

SHIROMANI AKALI DAL HAS DEMANDED THAT THE STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ALLOW LIQUOR VENDS TO OPEN IN PUNJAB

BATHINDA:Punjab was among the first states to ask the Centre to allow it to open liquor vends, but no liquor vend was open on day one of the lockdown 3.0 on Monday in the state. And, there is no hope that the liquor vends will not open in the state before Thursday.

Chief minister’s chief principal secretary Suresh Kumar said liquor contractors have sought three days to open vends. “Since there was curfew, new contracts were signed today. They are doing closing for the previous financial year, taking new stocks and will be ready by Wednesday,” he said. Capt had last month written to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking opening of liquor vends, citing loss of more than ₹500 crore a month.

Bacchus lovers were a dejected lot as they made rounds of the vends in anticipation. “When liquor vends can open in Chandigarh, why not in Punjab,” said a

Mohali resident.

Bathinda assistant excise and taxation commissioner R K Malhotra said stock verification in the new financial year was required. Deputy excise and taxation commissioner, Faridkot, Tejbir Singh Sidhu, said there was no communication from higher ups in this regard.

A liquor trader said business was badly hit because of the exodus of migrant workers. Amritsar assistant excise and taxation commissioner Sukhchain Singh said , “A meeting of state cabinet committee on the subject is on Thursday. We will act according to the government orders.”