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Image used for representation (Photo: AP)
After a 43-day dry period, liquor sales resumed at TASMAC outlets in Tamil Nadu, except Chennai, on Thursday. Serpentine tails were observed outside most of them and the rules of social distancing were ignored.
- CNN-News18 Chennai
- Last update: May 8, 2020, 11:47 p.m. IST
The Madras High Court on Friday ordered the closure of all state-run liquor outlets in Tamil Nadu, a day after its reopening after the easing of COVID-19 closure curves, saying there was a total violation of the guidelines, but allowed the delivery of doors through online mode.
Noticing that there were large crowds before the stores and that social distancing was not maintained, a bank of judges Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Satyanarayana approved the order in a mixed petition filed by attorney G Rajesh, in addition to a complaint by Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) directed by Kamal Haasan. .
The bank said there was a total violation of its provisional order issued on Wednesday, when it declined to suspend an order from the government allowing the resumption of liquor sales through the latter’s outlets.
In addition to the guidelines issued by the state government and TASMAC, the only liquor retailer in Tamil Nadu,
they were also raped, he said.
However, the court allowed online liquor sales and door delivery until the closing to verify the spread of the coronavirus had ended.
The court compared the rush at TASMAC stores to the prevailing situation on the Koyambedu wholesale market, which turned out to be a major entry point.
“The state had already witnessed the insane race to the Koyambedu wholesale market, which housed wholesale stores for the sale of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, when the closure was announced. Social and physical distancing rules were violated and their ramifications. He only realized it after three or four days, “the order said.
“In such circumstances, the state government thought it appropriate to close the market in its original location and have a temporary provisional market in three different locations outside of Chennai city. Meanwhile, when this Court approved the order, including the changed conditions previously, before the opening of the TASMAC stores, these conditions were breached, also breaching the rules prescribed by the disaster management authorities, “he added.
Shortly after the sentencing, the state government decided to move the Supreme Court, hoping to take advantage of an apex court order against such closure in another state.
Haasan’s party office officials praised the higher court’s decision as a people-centered decision.
“Great victory for the people and the Makkal Needhi Maiam. The High Court stopped the liquor sale in a case filed by MNM,” party secretary general CK Kumaravel said in a tweet.
After a 43-day dry period due to the closure of COVID-19 from March 24, liquor sales resumed on Thursday at TASMAC in Tamil Nadu, except Chennai.
A strong influx was observed in most places with people standing in meandering lines, even when the move to allow liquor to be sold was criticized by opposition parties and others, who raised fears that would lead to further spread of the coronavirus, which as of Friday has affected more than 6,000 people in the state.
On Wednesday, the bank had ordered the government to ensure strict implementation of all appropriate rules, as reported by the state, including maintaining social distancing in liquor stores while allowing resumption.
When the matter came up on Friday, petitioner Rajesh submitted that there was a total violation of the guidelines framed under G.O.No 223 of May 5 and also the rules stipulated by TASMAC and the court.
While sending some photographs and visuals of the media reports, he said: “It is reported through the visual media that
TASMAC and police officials were not prepared to handle overcrowding in stores. “
The state government had previously decided to open liquor retail stores, citing that the center relaxed closing regulations in this regard, in addition to pointing to tipplers in border districts that went directly to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, where sales of Liquors resumed on May 4.
(With PTI tickets)
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