Beer sales skyrocket

Vijayawada: Liquor consumption is gradually increasing in the city for the past few months. Many people particularly youngsters are consuming beer to beat the heat. Apart from that the IPL matches also triggered the sale of liquor as cricket lovers are sitting in the bars and restaurants in the evening and consuming liquor while watching the matches.

Alcohol sales, including beer and other brands increased nearly 10 per cent in January, 25 per cent in February and eight per cent in April compared to last year in Vijayawada excise limits. It reached the highest level in May as temperature rose to 46 degrees Celsius in the city.

Over 62,000 beer bottles have been consumed under the city limits. Bar and restaurants are arranging big screens to watch the IPL matches and attracting more customers. Bar and restaurant managements set up big screens to cash IPL session because most of the people are staying at bars to watch cricket matches by drinking wine. This tendency has increased on the outskirts because the police vigil is less compared to the heart of the city.

In the city limits, police are keeping a vigil on the bike riders and testing them with testing kits. Many families are suffering as the men are harassing their family members and wasting money on drinking. All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) city secretary K Sridevi said that drinking habit is spoiling the middle class men.

She reminded that the AIDWA had conducted a survey for collecting data on alcohol affecting families at Rajarajeswaripeta in the city and it was known that 220 out 250 men consume alcohol. K B Hospital Dr SK Muneer said that all section of people should try to avoid drinking alcohol in the summer as it woudl lead to dehydration.

By Anjaiah Desaboina