Liquor vends open in Telangana, lockdown extended till May 29

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, May 6

Serpentine lines outside liquor shops were seen on Wednesday after alcohol was made available in Telangana after 42 days at a slightly raised price. But at the same time Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) announced a further extension of the lockdown till May 29. The lockdown norms were also eased late last night in 25 districts classified as green and orange zones from today.

While the six districts in red zone will remain closed, liquor shops have been opened here too but with a strict warning that says “no mask, no distancing, no liquor”.

“The situation in the State capital, Hyderabad, and its neighbouring districts, Ranga Reddy and Malkajgiri-Medchal district, is very serious and we can’t take any chances, so these areas will remain shut,” he said.

The chief minister added that the state couldn’t compromise on the lockdown implementation in areas around Hyderabad where status quo will be maintained. For now the Chief Minister has said no public transport and a decision in this regard will be taken at a review meeting to be held on May 15.

Shops and other business establishments in green and orange zones covering 25 of the 33 districts were allowed to open normally from today. “While 100 per cent of the shops in rural areas — from mandal to villages — in the districts classified under green and orange zones will be open, only 50 per cent of the shops in municipal towns will be allowed on a rotational basis,” he said.

All the 2,300-odd liquor shops in the State barring 15 in the containment zone opened 10 am to 6 pm and people were seen taking precautions. The Cabinet has decided to increase liquor prices by 16 per cent on an average. The state will observe night curfew between 7 pm and 6 am.

He said the spread of virus was under good control and he was confident and the state can easily overcome the situation by following guidelines strictly. Stressing on the need to continue with the high vigil in Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Ranga Reddy districts that have high density of population, he said that 726 of cases (66 per cent) of the 1,096 cases were from these districts. Also 25 of the 29 deaths reported in the State were from here.

Central guidelines in different zones have been implemented strictly and in red zones no shop would be opened except those of construction, hardware, groceries and electrical. Agriculture and farm related establishments would be allowed to function.