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Eateries stare at loss after Karnataka steps up Covid curbs
The decision comes a day after the state reported seven more cases of Omicron infections, taking the tally in the southern state to 38.
Pubs and restaurants in Bengaluru are staring at big losses end of the year after the Karnataka government imposed a night curfew and several other restrictions owing to the rising number of Covid cases and the Omicron variant scare.
The night curfew between 10 pm to 5 am, applicable from December 28, has led to the cancellation of several special events planned for New Year’s Eve, resulting in major losses.
The decision comes a day after the state reported seven more cases of Omicron infections, taking the tally in the southern state to 38.
“From December 28 onwards, for about 10 days, we have called (imposed) a night curfew, invoking section 144 from night 10 pm to the next day morning 5 am,” Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education said in Bengaluru.
According to restaurants and pub owners, the government the order has forced them to cancel several bookings that were made weeks in advance. Amit Roy, a member of the National Restaurant Association of India and owner of restaurants like Watson’s and Slug in Bengaluru said that advance payment and travel ticket booking for artists are proving to be an additional cost to establishments that are already suffering from a lack of customers.
“The industry creates so many jobs and we employ more people during the festive season. We are going to lose all that money now. Even though we have been generating revenue for the government, but now they are ignoring us,” said Roy.
The state excise department, which collects taxes levied on the sale of Indian made liquor (IML) and beer, breached the target by ₹431 crores as of March 31, keeping up its performance despite the pandemic in 2021. The Yediyurappa regime revised its revenue targets from IML and beer in May after the state underwent a spell of lockdown to curb the spread of the infection. While the government fixed a target of 22,700 crores, the excise department has mopped up 23,131 crores by March 31, according to officials.
“The government has got its revenues as spirits are sold in several places and the budget targets are achieved. But those who are dependent on alcohol licence and even veg restaurants... What should they do and how to recover losses? We were not given any concessions in anything?”
Govindraj Hegde, president of the Karnataka Wine Merchants Association, said.
Hedge said that they are not planning to approach the government to reconsider the situation. “There is no point,” he added. Veerendra Kamat, Secretary of Bruhat Bangalore Hotel
Association said people would have to return home by 10 pm due to the night curfew, which would discourage them to visit restaurants in the first place. “Our revenues come during these festive seasons, and the government’s decision would affect us severely,” he said.
Apart from the hospitality industry, taxi drivers’ associations have also questioned the government’s move. “Many industries were just bouncing back after facing hardships over the past two years, even ours. In such times, they are imposing restrictions. There are no restrictions on political rallies, but it is we who have to suffer,” said Tanveer Pasha, president of Ola, Taxi for Sure and Uber Owners and Drivers’ Association.
The new restrictions came after chief minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired an urgent meeting with ministers, senior government officials and members of the technical advisory committee (TAC) on covid-19 in Bengaluru on Sunday to impose “preventive” measures to contain the growing number of infections. A senior BBMP official, who didn’t want to be quoted, said the authorities are trying to take precautions because of the new variant. “If we allow another super spreader event to happen, we could witness another wave. It is in the best interest of the industry at large; we have taken these decisions,” the official said.
