The Tamil Nadu government Monday announced that TASMAC shops will be opened in the state from May 7. An official release from the government said states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have opened the liquor shops and, hence, people residing on the state borders have been queuing up at the shops and it is becoming difficult for the government to prevent them from crossing the borders. The release mentioned some of the guidelines that the liquor shops should follow before the resumption of sales. The shops will function between 10 am and 5 pm. They should ensure there is no crowding outside the shops. Social distancing of not less than six-meter distance should be maintained between two people. Not more than five people should be allowed to gather near the liquor outlet at the same time. Adequate security measures to be arranged outside each shop More workers should be appointed in each outlet to manage the crowd. These orders shall not apply to shops that fall under the containment zones. Also, liquor bars will remain closed across the state. TASMAC, one of the largest revenue generators for Tamil Nadu, closed all its outlets on March 16 owing to the state government’s lockdown measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Earlier in March, the state-owned marketing corporation issued a circular instructing all the TASMAC district managers to offer face masks to their workers and said each liquor shop must be equipped with hand sanitizers. Speaking to Indianexpress.com, a senior official from the TASMAC had said they haven’t received proper instructions from the government. “We have not received any directives from the government. I don’t want the shops to function because of the safety aspect, but the workers are already affected because of the lockdown. The bar owners have incurred a heavy loss," he had said.
