J&K Excise Department permits opening of another 73 wine shops today

A day after 40 liquor shops were allowed to operate across the Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir Excise Department has ordered opening of more 73 shops in Phase-2 on Friday.
As per order issued from the office of the Excise Commissioner, J&K on Thursday evening addressed to the District Magistrate Jammu said that as per the orders of the Government, 40 shops shown as standalone across UT were identified in first around and they were opened.
“Baring few places in Jammu, the transactions in almost all shops remained satisfactory with the support of local administration and these shops were identified on the basis of available space and location for ensuring social distancing,” read an order.
It further said that a second list containing 73 shops again fall comparatively in partial and semi standalone category having adequate space for queue.
“Shops falling in Malls, Shopping Complexes and busy Market places have been dropped to avoid any sort of inconvenience for the neighbouring shopkeepers, commuters to ensure social distancing,” read an order and requested the administration to make elaborate security arrangements and deploy the Magistrate to maintain proper order tomorrow on Friday.
“It is further intimated that if the district administration deems it appropriate to open all shops irrespective of location like malls, complexes and market places, will be conveyed so that the lists are accordingly forwarded in future after stock checks,” it read.
Pertinent to mention here that out of total 40, six shops were allowed to operate in Jammu district thus triggering chaos in particular localities.
Residents of respective localities where the shops were allowed to open, expressed resentment and rued the decision of allowing ‘selected’ shops to operate which defied guidelines and social distancing.