Most liquor shops in city closed, sales only in districts

Liquor shops in and around the city remained mostly closed as they fall either within the containment zones or are running out of stock, an office bearer of West Bengal 'OFF', 'ON', 'CS'Shops and Hotel Owners Association said on Thursday. Sales are taking place mostly in the districts as most of them have been categorised as orange or green zones, he said.

Liquor, however, is being sold in the grey market in the city where buyers are being charged a hefty mark-up over the maximum retail price. Several liquor shops had reopened when the West Bengal government gave its nod with certain riders like maintaining the social distancing norms in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But those outlets are now closed as the government increased the number of containment areas in the city which has already been identified as a red zone. The office bearer said that owing to the prolonged lockdown manufacturing of spirits has come to a halt in the state.

"The government allowed manufacturing activity in distilleries and breweries a few days ago in the state with limited workforce," he said. This has resulted in delay in production which is causing shortfall in supplies in the retail outlets.

Packaging of bottles at the production point and subsequent despatch to state government warehouse BEVCO is also not smooth due to logistics problems and it will take a few more weeks to normalise supplies to the shops, he said. PTI dc KK KK

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