Warangal: Boozers ready for lockdown!

Warangal: It appears like that guzzlers were more worried about the availability of liquor rather than coronavirus that has been wreaking havoc across the region. With the news spreading that the State government was to impose lockdown, scores of people were seen swarming the liquor shopsright from the afternoon. True to their speculation, the government announced a 10-day lockdown in the State beginning with Wednesday (May 12).

"It looked like they were fighting for their life," Kumar Gurrapa, a private employee, said, pointing to the mad rush at wine shops. In fact, they were endangering their life by throwing Covid-19 etiquette to the wind, he added.

When The Hans India asked a person, who emerged with a couple of liquor bottles from the jostle in front of a wine shop, he recalled last year's lockdown.

The man said that he had to buy liquor at an exorbitant price then. The liquor was sold at no less than the price double, he recalled.

Although it was expected that the government is likely to allow the sale of liquor along with the essentials in the free hours, people didn't want to take a chance, a liquor shop employee said.

Meanwhile, doubts started to linger over the availability of liquor during the free hours (6 am to 10 am) with the excise officials noting that present norms didn't permit the wine shops and bars to open before 10 am. The officials say that the government needs to issue GO allowing changes in the timings for the wine shops. The excise teams, meanwhile, were expected to seal the liquor shops after noting the stock position, it's learnt.