Visakhapatnam / Vijayawada: As the Andhra Pradesh government begins to sell liquor and beer by setting up retail outlets beginning from Tuesday in the state, the guzzlers will be left with no place to sit and consume liquor as the permit rooms would be all closed.
They would now have to purchase their liquor and move away, which is expected to create law and order problem as some of them might consume it in open places, even as they stumble upon roads under the influence of liquor and misbehave with others.
In another move, the State government also levied an additional retail excise tax at flat rate per bottle on issue price of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Foreign Liquor (FL), beer, wine and ready-to-drink varieties with effect from Tuesday, making a big hole in the pocket of guzzlers in the state. The state government issued a notification to be published in the extra-ordinary issue of AP Gazette on Monday.
Meanwhile, liquor traders say that as a majority number of families do not allow menfolk to bring and consume liquor home, guzzlers have to find other places, often public places, including bus and rail stations, to consume liquor either alone or in groups. After consuming liquor, it becomes a tough task to them to reach home as they cannot sit for long hours in open places unlike in permit rooms. In case they ride or drive vehicles, after consuming liquor, it may result in accidents, endangering lives, their own and those of others.
With no refrigerators in a majority number of government run liquor outlets, beer would be sold but it would not be chilled. This could reduce the sale of beer, and push up the demand for alternatives, including stronger categories, but unlikely see a change of behaviour to guzzle warm beer.
As the authorities would not also allow the sale of water sachets and snacks near government liquor outlets, small traders would lose their source of livelihood, as they would be forced to shut down their businesses.
Liquor traders however say that it would no difference whether who sells the liquor, licensed private retailers or the government as drinkers will consume liquor regularly. They argue that even if number of shops are reduced, demand would reach for the point of supply.
Meanwhile, the AP State Beverages Corporation Limited is getting ready to start selling liquor from nearly 3,500 shops and as many as 360 brands of liquor and 35 brands of beer to be sold.
At the bottom end of the scale, there has been a Rs 10 increase in the cost of 60/90 ml bottle of IMFL, 50/60 ml foreign liquor and 300 ml beer. Ready to drink 250/275 ml is to cost Rs 20 more.
