NASHIK: Tipplers in Nashik looking for a high would be forced to visit bars and pay a much higher price for their drink since liquor outlets were downing shutters after dusk.
The district excise department issued an order five days ago that allowed a daily sale of 35 boxes of whisky, rum, etc, 30 boxes of beer and 10 boxes of country-made liquor in Nashik city. In rural Nashik, the daily quota allowed was 15 boxes of whisky, rum, etc, 12 boxes of beer and 10 boxes of country-made liquor. Each box contained 12 bottles of various varieties of alcohol.
Requesting anonymity, an owner of a liquor shop said, "The daily quota allowed for sales at present is almost 50% lower than what my outlet usually sells each day. My daily revenue has dropped by about a lakh of rupees after the excise department's order."
In the district, there were 85 outlets selling IMFL and 223 shops that sold country made-liquor. Nearly 60% of these 308 outlets were in the city.
A resident of Gangapur Road said, "My friend and I went to three prominent liquor shops after 8.30pm only to find them closed. I wanted to buy four bottles of beer. Later we had four bottles of beer at a bar that cost us Rs1,800. I would have spent about Rs1,000 if I had bought it from an outlet."
Nashik district collector Jalaj Sharma told TOI that the restrictions on sale of alcohol at outlets had been announced following advice from the state election commission and election observers of the district.
Official sources said the restriction was imposed after procurement by some liquor outlets shot up in the run up to the polls. "It could be possible that politicians were buying it for vested purposes," he said.
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