Wine shops need Excise nod to be shut on ‘Ashtami’ or ‘Dashami’

Kolkata: Following requests from wine retailers, the Excise department has allowed shop owners to bring down the shutters during Durga Puja either on Ashtami or Dashami but subject to permissions.

With roughly a week left for Puja, the Excise department seems to have ensured that the black market doesn’t end up spoiling the revenues of the state.

Tipplers have already been rejoicing after the recent announcement of zero dry days during Puja. In an issued circular, the Excise department has announced that wine shop owners could choose to keep their shops closed either on Ashtami or Dashami but subject to permission from the department. The circular was issued following representation from different stakeholders. Retail licensees are of the opinion that the off-shop workers have requested for a holiday during the Puja. This led some shop owners to approach the Excise department. The concept of zero dry days during Puja was started by the state in 2016 and which subsequently had led to an increase in state revenues during the festival time. However, shop staff lamented that zero dry days also amount to no holidays for them and hence the appeal to the Excise department.

It was learnt that those that want to keep their shops closed on either Ashtami or Dashami need to apply to the Excise department of their respective districts, following which it will be decided whether the shops concerned can be issued permission to remain closed for one or two days. Sources said that the decision will be influenced by the areas concerned. “In certain areas there are more than one wine shop to handle the demand but there are also areas where there is only one shop and if that remains closed it is likely that the demand will be fulfilled by black marketeers who would buy in advance to sell at a higher price than the MRP,” said the source.

Until 2015, most off-shops used to remain closed on Ashtami, and on Dashami, after 5 pm, shutters used to come down. Further, Thursdays were considered dry days and if any such Thursday used to crop up during Puja then shops remained shut. But, this changed from 2016.

On the brighter side of affairs, most off-shop owners said that there is no question of keeping the shops closed since it is the festival days when skyrocketing sales can be expected. Most owners said that the shops are run by staff in shifts. Hence, it should not be a problem.