Thousands throng liquor shops in Tamil Nadu disregarding distancing norms

Protests held in several places in State against reopening of Tasmac outlets

Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 07/05/2020 : COVID-19 : People wearing face mask waiting in a long queue and showing their Aadhaar card which is mandatory while purchasing liquor from TASMAC shop that was reopened at Seethancherry village in Tiruvallur district on Thursday, during the 44th day of nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of deadly novel corona virus pandemic. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu

Thousands of tipplers crowded Tasmac shops across Tamil Nadu (except those in Chennai) on Thursday, as liquor outlets reopened after 43 days.

COVID-19 safety protocols like physical distancing and the wearing of masks were thrown to the wind, sparking serious concerns about the spread of the virus. Protests were held in several places against the reopening of liquor outlets in the midst of a pandemic.

Though customers were required to maintain a six-feet distance between each other, and the Madras High Court had ordered the ‘rationing’ of liquor, such directives were hardly put into practice. Serpentine queues were seen in several places, and many customers were either not wearing masks or wearing them improperly.

Despite the police having warned that residents of Chennai would be arrested if they travel to the neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur or Kancheepuram just to buy liquor, some managed to get hold of a few bottles. Though some of them were caught by the police, others escaped scrutiny due to the difficulty of verifying Aadhaar cards in crowded shops. Only 100 shops in the three neighbouring districts were opened, as the remaining 400-odd outlets were located in covid-19 containment zones or areas bordering Chennai.

Spike in cases

Though Tasmac had earlier said it would open 3,850 shops across the State, 150 outlets were not opened, in the wake of the spike in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. “If new cases emerge [in] fresh spots, we will close the outlets there,” an official said. The police, however, said people were stopped a few hundred meters away from the shops, and tokens were issued to them. “People were allowed into shops in batches,” said a police officer. At some places, people started queuing up near the shops from as early as 3 a.m. to obtain tokens. “We have never had such long queues even during the festive season,” a manager of a liquor outlet said.

Tipplers in Tiruppur, who were asked to bring umbrellas to maintain physical distancing, were seen using them to “reserve spots”.

Scores of women and children in Sellur, Madurai, attempted to block the reopening of the two shops in the locality. Though they managed to keep the shops shut for a while, they had to disperse after police personnel intervened.

In Tiruvannamalai, protests by villagers led to the closure of liquor shops in Valayampattu, Andipatti, Thanda, Pudhupalayam and GN Palayam. Additional police contingents were deployed to these villages.

In Tiruchi, the police had a tough time enforcing physical distancing. Crowding was witnessed at shops in Ariyalur, Pudukottai and Thanjavur districts as well.