E-Paper
Demanding compensation for losses, contractors keep liquor vends shut in Ludhiana
The state government is expected to take a final decision on the matter during a cabinet meeting scheduled on May 8
Allowed to reopen shops from Thursday, wine contractors in the district decided to keep their liquor vends closed. Reason: They are demanding compensation for the losses incurred in the last financial year and review of the 2020-21 Excise Policy , including withdrawal of quota condition.
In Ludhiana, there are around 750 liquor vends in 150 groups, including those at Khanna, Samrala, Jagraon among others, which remained shut on Thursday. The government earns an annual revenue of around ₹ 1,100 crore from these liquor vends, which amounts to over ₹3 crore per day.
Meanwhile, anticipating low sales owing to the movement of migrant labourers out of the district, the contractors have also raised questions on home delivery of liquor allowed by the state government. They said it was not possible for the vendors to supply alcohol under the limits imposed by the government.
In this regard, a cabinet meeting on Friday has been scheduled by the state government to look into the demands of the contractors.
Working on the directions issued by the state government, the administration had on Wednesday allowed the wine contractors to open the vends from Thursday. While counters sales are allowed from 9am to 3pm, home delivery can be done till 6pm.
Further, demanding the withdrawal of quota system, one of the wine contractors, Neeraj, said, regular sales cannot be expected during the Covid-19 crisis.
“With labourers moving out and a major section of residents struggling to cater to their daily needs, it is difficult for contractors to even recover the fee that has to be paid to the government,” he added.
Another contractor requesting anonymity said the government was only allowing the vends to open for revenue. “Nothing is being done to provide relief to the wine contractors who have also suffered major losses due to imposition of curfew in the last week of March,” he said.
He demanded that the proportionate quota of the loss owing to curfew during the last financial year be reduced and proportionate licence fee be waived.
He also claimed that the government’s decision to commence home delivery of liquor will not bear fruit as only 2 litre of liquor can be delivered per household. “We do not have the required work force and the residents are also suspicious over supplies being done by delivery boys as they fear it might be infected with the virus,” he said.
Deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC) Pawan Garg said, “The state government has to take the decision on policy matter and compensation to be given to the vendors. It is expected to take a final decision in the cabinet meeting expected on May 8.”
“However, the department has asked the contractors to open the vends from Friday,” he added.
YAD OPENS ‘DOODH DA THEKA’ TO OPPOSE GOVT’S MOVE
Youth Akali Dal (YAD) district president Gurdeep Singh Gosha chose a novel way to protest against the government’s decision to reopen liquor vends.
Holding cannisters with “doodh da theka” written over them, the YAD leader sat in front of a liquor vend opposite the city railway station and began distributing milk.
Gosha said, “The government’s decision is ironical as it has allowed the liquor vends to operate while the gurdwaras and temples remain closed.” He said the government was only eyeing revenue with no value for human life, adding that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will continue to oppose the move.
Long queues of people, including those homeless, migrants and beggars, emerged as soon as Gosha began to sell milk.
