KOCHI: Supreme Court’s order banning liquor outlets and bars within 500 meters on either side of National and State Highways has spelled doom for the tipplers in the city. Even during the second day of the ban, the tipplers in the city could be seen running from pillar to post to buy their favourite brand of liquor from the outlets.
Many were forced to wait for over three to four hours to get hold of their bottle. All the outlets of Bevco and Consumerfed witnessed a heavy rush on Monday.
Nearly all the die-hard tipplers to whom the Express talked, expressed their unhappiness over the SC’s decision. They were also blaming the state government for its apathy in ensuring sufficient number of outlets in the city. “We are fed up with this decision.
If the government is deciding to shift the outlets, they must do so after ensuring that there sufficient number of outlets.
This is really an injustice. We have no other option to buy liquor,” said Narayanan, who could buy liquor after a long wait of 45 minutes at a Bevco outlet near Kathrikadavu. He said the major revenue to the exchequer comes through the sale of liquor in the state.
Suresh, who spent over three hours before the outlet on Sunday, told Express that this ban will lead to a spurt in sales of spurious liquor.
“Most of the tipplers drink liquor to get some relief from the daily hassles. If this rush continues in front of the shops how will one be able to buy a drink. If the shortage continues, in the coming days people will take to spurious liquor.
A huge tragedy awaits round the corner,” said Suresh who came to buy a few bottles from Palluruthy to the Ponnurunny outlet.
As per the excise department’s data 1,956 liquor shops were closed in the state following Supreme Court’s directive. Out of these 1,956 shops, 207 were Bevco and Consumer-fed outlets, 11 in five star hotels, 18 clubs, 586 beer and wine parlours, two beer outlets and 1,132 toddy shops.
In Ernakulam district, out of the 46 liquor outlets of Bevco and Consumer-fed, 16 were closed. “We also closed 125 beer and wine parlours, five five-star bars, four clubs and 131 toddy shops,” said Deputy Excise Commissioner, Ernakulam.