Amid surging COVID-19 cases, the state of Tamil Nadu has surpassed its neighboring states through its record-high sales in the TASMAC outlets on its first day of re-opening as the tipplers across the state had tendered a farewell to the social distancing norms by thronging before the liquor shops to buy liquors.

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has reported that its outlets had sold 20 lakh liters of alcohol worth Rs 170 crore in single day, which is relatively higher than what the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had reported on its first day. According to the reports, the TASMAC has attained the revenue through its 3,700 outlets that were opened on Thursday, after being shut down for nearly six weeks in the wake of the lockdown. 

The TASMAC has 5,300 outlets across the state and the outlets in Chennai and its neighboring districts remain closed due to the spike of COVID-19 cases. The reports stated that the sale could have crossed Rs 200 crore if all the outlets had opened its operations. TASMAC is one of the major revenue channels to the state government and it could have banked the first-day revenue as expected.

However, the visuals from across the state had raised assumptions on whether the state government has compromised its containment strategy amid the rapid spread of the virus. The tipplers who were desperate to buy liquor had queued up before the outlets under the hot summer and the long chain of people had stretched for a kilometer in most of the places by breaking the chain of social distancing. 

The state government has issued the order earlier this week to resume the operations of TASMAC liquor shops from May 7 across the state apart from Chennai with the view of reducing the movement of the state residents to the neighboring states to buy liquor. The order was backed by the Madras High Court letting the shops have an uninterrupted resumption of the operations despite the order was criticized and condemned by the opposition leaders. 

The government has rolled out restrictions for the tipplers while buying the alcohol and state police force has been deployed to the opened outlets to ensure that the social distancing norms are being followed. Despite the restrictions, people in some areas had rubbed their shoulders and rushed towards the shops to pile up the liquor before the shop timing ends. The massive gathering before the outlets had raised questions on whether the curfew under section 144 has been put on winds. 

Madurai district has reported with Rs 37 crore revenue which is highest in the state on its first day as the state has banked Rs 170 crore revenue which is as equal as the revenue earned by the state during festival seasons. The authorities said that an individual can only buy one bottle of 750 ml of liquor or four bottles of 150 ml liquor or one bottle of 650 ml beer each day. The shops would be functioning from 10 am to 5 pm.

The state marketing corporation has announced that people should carry Aadhaar card and they should wear masks to get liquor. Tokens were issued to people who are standing in the queues and people above 50 years can get liquor between 10 am to 1 pm, while people between 40-50 years can purchase liquor between 1 pm to 3 pm and people below 40 years can buy between 3 pm to 5 pm. However, the reports revealed the age proof was not checked in most of the places.

Also read: Overjoy amid the outbreak: How tipplers in TN queued up before TASMAC outlets?