Even as Tamil Nadu reported 580 fresh cases of people who tested positive for Covid-19, taking the cumulative tally in the state to 5,409, the state saw liquor sales worth Rs 150 crore – according to preliminary estimates - on the first day of reopening of TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation the monopoly seller of liquor in the state) outlets.
The Tamil Nadu government had permitted the re-opening of TASMAC outlets across the state except in Greater Chennai area. TASMAC has a total of 5,300 outlets and employs more than 25,000 people. Choas prevailed at retail outlets in several districts including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu.
Police had to resort to mild lathi-charge in some of the districts as desperate tipplers gave social distancing norms a go-by. Police had a tough time controlling crowds wanting to buy liquor as all TASMAC outlets have been closed in the state since March 24. Preliminary estimates of the state government indicated that Rs 150 crore worth of liquor was sold in Tamil Nadu.
The government’s move to open the TASMAC outlets had attracted criticism from opposition parties including DMK’s M K Stalin, Congress party and others. However, the state government struggling for revenue had decided to go ahead with the sales. In 2018-19, TASMAC alone generated revenues of Rs 31,157.83 crore.
Meanwhile two more deaths were also reported because of Covid-19 on Thursday taking the cumulative tally to 37.
Out of the 580 new cases registered on Thursday, government officials admitted that 316 of them were from Chennai with bulk of them being attributed to the Koyambedu market cluster. As of Thursday, there are 3,822 active Covid-19 cases in the state.
