Inadequate stock likely to dampen spirit of tipplers on reopening day

Even as preparations are in full swing to reopen the liquor shops, sources in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), the monopoly agency for selling liquor in the state, says it doesn’t have enough stock to meet the consumer requirement at retail liquor vending shops in Chennai.

The reason for the shortage being attributed for the possible crisis is that liquor cases from many Tasmac shops in the city and its suburbs have been shifted to other district outlets during the lockdown period due to the high demand in other districts.

“Though authorities were making arrangements to fill the stock from Monday, as of now the available liquor is only one-third of the city’s usual consumption,” a senior official from the Tasmac told DT Next.

Stating that there are about 800 liquor shops in and around Chennai police limits, he said, “only little more than 10,000 cases were available against the daily sales of about 30,000 liquor cases in Chennai and its neighbouring districts, which comes under city police limits.”

According to the official, as the government did not announce any sales limit per person, the liquor cases are expected to vanish from the shelves of the outlets in the city left high and dry for months together.

Meanwhile, on the preparations, Tasmac official said that about 100 liquor shops in Chennai police limits, which are near the containment areas, will not be opened.

“Extra security personnel will be deployed at each liquor shop to control the crowd so that social distancing norms will be maintained,” he said adding “without masks, the consumers will not be allowed to enter the shops.”

Stating that the token system will be maintained for a few days, the official said, “after the resumption of normal sales, the token system will be removed in stages.”