SATISH HANDA

Controversy started after the statement by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also holding charge of excise and taxation department in Haryana state that production, bottling in distilleries and sale of liquor would commence on completion of first phase of lock down declared in the state on April 14 as well as liquor vends would remain open. Large number of leaders of political parties in opposition in the state including Congress strongly condemned the decision saying that ruling BJP in alliance with JJP government had plans to commence production and bottling in distilleries in the state. Ruling government leaders said that the idea was to save raw materials used in distilleries lying in stocks when sale through wholesale liquor stockists and retail vends was scheduled to start immediately after lock down lifted by the government. However, leaders of political parties in opposition were not satisfied saying that production and sale of liquor at this stage when country as well as state facing the threat of epidemic outbreak would only give rise to social crisis, family disputed and increase in crimes in the state under the influence of liquor when nearly 78 people in the state are locked inside their house due to lock down declared by the government.

However, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij came to rescue of Dushyant Chautala and said that government decided to give permission to distilleries in the state to commence production in breweries in the state, keep stocks ready and undertake sale of stocks soon after lock down was lifted by the government when liquor would be available at all vends across the state. Vij said that there is no idea to sell liquor in market till situation turns normal. According to information, country made liquor is being supplied in the town through delivery boys during present lock down period when all liquor shops, Ahatas and bars are closed due to lock down. Information reveals that state excise department has suffered loss worth Rs 9000 crores in past two months due to corona virus spread and presently state government suffering revenue loss worth  10 crore daily due to lock down. Both Randeep Surjewala HPCC leaders as well Kumari Shelja HPCC president while talking to media persons expressed concern saying that ruling government giving priority to production and sale of liquor leaving people at the mercy of corona instead of fighting epidemic outbreak,

According to state health department, with four fresh corona positive cases reported in past 24 hours the total number of corona positive cases in the state has increased to 182. Information also reveals that 30 corona patients have been cured and discharged from the hospitals and six patients reported died so far. Wife of a ‘Maulana’ at village Rodi in Sirsa district has been declared corona positive in past 24 hours and the entire village was declared Buffer Zone by the health department by state government.