The Tamil Nadu state government, on one hand, has ordered to shut down the Koyambedu market complex after it has emerged as the new COVID-19 epicenter and, on the other hand, it has seemingly opened the gates of what could possibly erupt more clusters in the state - resuming the operations of liquor shops. 

In a sudden development of what it appears to be the contradictory move in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the government has directed to shut down the Koyambedu market temporarily from Tuesday and the alternative market would be installed in Thirumazhisai, Chennai and it will commence the operations on Thursday, May 7- the same day when TASMAC liquor shops resume its operations.

According to the reports, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has closed the Koyambedu market complex from Tuesday and the decision was taken after the complex emerged as the COVID-19 epicenter as at least 300 people who had a direct or indirect connection with the market tested positive for the virus till Monday evening. Thirumazhisai, which sits 20 kilometers away from Koyambedu, has been picked as an alternative location.

The CMDA stated that the wholesale market will start functioning from Thursday and the development body has appealed to the vegetable traders and people to extend their co-operation for shifting the market as it has been done with the view of ensuring the welfare of the people. However, the government has seemingly taken a different and shocking move of re-opening the liquor shops. 

According to the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the liquor shops under its control would resume its operations from May 7 across the state. It has stated that the shops will be functioning from 10 am to 5 pm, with certain restrictions and it won't be applicable for the shops that reside on the containment zones and these shops would remain closed. 

The Corporation hasn't permitted to reopen the bars. As per the restrictions, the customers and the shop employees should maintain at least six feet of social distancing between each other, and not more than five customers can be inside the shop at a time. Additional authorities would be deployed to review whether the social distancing protocols are followed in the liquor shops. 

The state government has ordered to open the liquor shops after the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka took a similar decision and opened the liquor shops on Monday. The Tamil Nadu state government has backed its move and claimed that the decision of opening the liquor shops was taken to reduce the movements of Tamil Nadu people to the neighboring states to buy liquor. The liquor shops remained closed since March 24 in the wake of the nationwide lockdown and the state government has earlier asserted that the shops won't be opened until the lockdown plays its role.

TASMAC is one of the channels that pour more revenue to the state. However, it is feared that the resumption of the liquor shops at this high time when the state has been adding more cases affected by the human to human transmitting virus would possibly pour water on the grounds of COVID-19 to have rampant spread. The decision of opening the TASMAC has come when the state has recorded the highest single-day rise of the affected cases after it has reported 527 cases on Monday, most of which linked to the Koyambedu cluster.

Also read: How did Chennai's Koyambedu market emerge as the new COVID-19 epicenter?