KOCHI: Vaccination certificate or a paper showing negative RT-PCR result is mandatory to visit shops, but not in bars and Bevco outlets where people wait in long queues for hours. Why?
The High Court, which asked the question to the government, observed that if a vaccination certificate is made a requirement for buying alcohol, more people would opt for it.“Just because the consumers standing in long queues are poor, the government can’t treat them like cattle,” observed Justice Devan Ramachandran.
The court was considering a contempt case against the excise commissioner for not implementing the order to take steps to improve facilities at Bevco outlets. The court said it was baffling that the government order was not applicable for buying alcohol. Demanding a specific answer, the court observed that such an order would give an impetus to vaccination and alcohol consumers would be encouraged to take jabs.
The court also flayed the excise department for not including a liquor outlet in Kochi, which is in miserable condition, in the list of 96 shops that needs to be shifted from their location due to lack of facilities. The court displayed photographs of the small and dingy outlet reminiscent of “gambling dens in old Bollywood movies”. Another single judge adjourned the plea challenging the ‘immunity passport’ to visit shops until Wednesday. The government sought time to file a statement in the case.