GUWAHATI: With wine shops reopening in the green zones of Assam, there were long queues in front of the liquor retail outlets across the state on Sunday.
As manufacturing of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) already started in Assam from April 22, the opening of the wine shops has come as a breather for the retailers who were incurring huge losses due to the lockdown. Though the state government had opened wine shops on April 13, the order was revoked the very next day as rampant violation of social distancing norms came to light.
“Though there was long queues in front of some retail outlets today, the liquor business may not be the same in the days to come. This is because the buyers have started to cut down on their daily expenses,” All Assam IMFL Retailers Association secretary general Alak Dutta said.
As per the association's data, liquor worth Rs 15-20 crore is sold per day in Assam. Dutta said though this mark might have been crossed on Sunday, retailers are worried about the financial woes caused by lockdown. “When income of the buyers has gone down drastically, we cannot expect brisk business in the days to come,” he added.
Even as liquor shops are allowed to open from 11 am to 5pm, people gathered in front of the wine shops in many places since morning. The excise department sent flying squads to monitor the situation in various parts of Guwahati.
As manufacturing of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) already started in Assam from April 22, the opening of the wine shops has come as a breather for the retailers who were incurring huge losses due to the lockdown. Though the state government had opened wine shops on April 13, the order was revoked the very next day as rampant violation of social distancing norms came to light.
“Though there was long queues in front of some retail outlets today, the liquor business may not be the same in the days to come. This is because the buyers have started to cut down on their daily expenses,” All Assam IMFL Retailers Association secretary general Alak Dutta said.
As per the association's data, liquor worth Rs 15-20 crore is sold per day in Assam. Dutta said though this mark might have been crossed on Sunday, retailers are worried about the financial woes caused by lockdown. “When income of the buyers has gone down drastically, we cannot expect brisk business in the days to come,” he added.
Even as liquor shops are allowed to open from 11 am to 5pm, people gathered in front of the wine shops in many places since morning. The excise department sent flying squads to monitor the situation in various parts of Guwahati.
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