Pune: The ‘preparation time for stocking essential items’ given by civic and district administration officials before the lockdown seems to have been utilised well by Punekars! A record sale of 4 lakh litre liquor worth Rs 20 crore has happened on Monday (July 13) – just 24 hours before the actual lockdown restrictions were implemented – pointing to the fact that Punekars are ready with the ‘stock’ this time.
Country-made and foreign liquor sale on a normal day is 88 thousand litres and 1 lakh litre. But since the lockdown was announced, that jumped by four times. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday a total Rs 25 crore liquor has been sold in the city. Out of these three days, Monday saw the biggest spike in liquor sale, four times higher than any normal day sale.
A 10-day strict lockdown is being implemented in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad cities and rural areas of the district from Tuesday (July 14). While declaring the lockdown on Friday (July 10), officials had made it clear that no shops will be allowed to remain open during the lockdown period except milk and medicine shops. As a result, long queues were seen outside vegetable markets, shops and liquor shops on Saturday (July 11) and Sunday (July 12) as citizens made sure that they stock up enough stuff for the lockdown period.
District Collector Naval Kishore Ram had said that the liquor shops will remain closed till July 23. Thereafter the administration would review the situation in the cities and entire district and then take a call regarding reopening of the liquor shops. Home delivery of liquor too has been shut down along with other e-commerce and food delivery services.
Anticipating a long haul this time too, citizens didn’t want to take another chance and preferred to stock liquor along with other essential items like grocery, vegetables and meat. As a result, liquor worth Rs 20 crore was sold on Monday – the biggest on a single day – in the city.
Edited by: Akshay Badwe
