Corona Hotspot TN breaks Social Distancing rules

Chennai : Even more than 500 covid-19 positive cases daily and around 3825 active coronavirus cases ; Tamil Nadu saw liquor sales worth Rs.150 crore on the first day of reopening of TASMAS (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation the monopoly seller of liquor in the state) wine 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.

நோய்த்தொற்றின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரிக்கும் போது மதுக்கடைகளைத் திறந்து, சமூகத்தின், குடும்பங்களின் அமைதியைக் குலைக்கத் தயாராகும் #குடியைக்கெடுக்கும்அதிமுக அரசுக்கு நம் எதிர்ப்பைக் காட்டுவோம்.

'கொரோனாவை ஒழிப்பதில் தோல்வி அடைந்துவிட்ட அ.தி.மு.க. அரசைக் கண்டிக்கிறோம்’ என முழங்குவோம்!

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 7, 2020

According to  report , 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.

Watch out heart wrenching videos where the rule of social distancing violating :

#Thread: Scenes from different parts of Tamil Nadu on day 1 of opening liquor shops in the state.

Despite Sec 144 being in place, the govt has allowed so many people to gather outside wine shops. This is in #Salem, home town of TN CM EPS. #DontOpenTASMAC pic.twitter.com/GWlhQpXo1F

— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) May 7, 2020

Lot of people from TN have crossed the border to #Nagari in #Chithoor district for liquor..

TN – AP Border..

One more video.. Distancing gone for a Toss.. pic.twitter.com/VnjRAiBbpL

— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) May 4, 2020

TN tipplers determined to break all India sales record! pic.twitter.com/ULGyqdLtf8

— Mohamed Imranullah S (@imranhindu) May 7, 2020

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.

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