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No queues, crowds as Mohali liquor vends open after six weeks
Liquor contractors blamed the UT administration, saying people had already smuggled in liquor from Chandigarh into Mohali, in the absence of checks at borders.
Even as opening of liquor vends in Chandigarh and other parts of the country from May 4 made news, with long queues and even clashes with police reported outside such outlets, Mohali vends opening after six weeks on Thursday remained deserted. Liquor contractors blamed the UT administration for this, saying people had already smuggled liquor from Chandigarh into Mohali in the absence of checks at borders.
About 140 liquor vends in the district remained open from 7am to 3pm, but none reported major sales, unlike Chandigarh.
“We have already suffered a huge loss (because of the lockdown) and now blame Chandigarh authorities for opening the vends earlier on May 4 and collecting around Rs 20 crore a day. Mohali residents have been getting liquor from Chandigarh and no checks are being carried out at the borders,” said JP Singh, general manager of the Turtle Group owning 15 liquor vends here.
Another liquor contractor, Arjun Singh, said, “Though our rates are more or less comparable with Chandigarh, the Punjab government should not have allowed home delivery. We should have also been given some relief as most of the migrant workers, our main customers for country liquor and regular segments have left the city.”
In his Wednesday order, deputy commissioner of Mohali, Girish Dayalan said vends could open from 7am to 3pm, but no shop would be open in the open in the containment areas of Jawahapur village in in Dera Bassi and Nayagaon.
