The Delhi government late on Monday imposed 70% extra tax on liquor. The tax, dubbed “special corona fees”, will be applicable from Tuesday.
The decision came after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned people that his government will revoke relaxations allowed during the lockdown if they do not adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Locals in some parts of the Capital crowded liquor stores on Monday, defying physical distancing guidelines during the lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus.
More than 150 government-run liquor shops have been permitted to stay open in the Capital between 9 am and 6 pm, following the Centre’s latest guidelines. The police, however, ordered the shutdown of all liquor shops in East Delhi, Northeast Delhi, Shahdara and Southwest districts on Monday, after a vendor failed to maintain physical distancing.
Delhi has been classified a Covid-19 red zone or a hotspot. The Capital has reported 4,549 cases of the coronavirus and 64 deaths on Monday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Across India, 42,836 cases have been reported and 1,389 people have died.
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