The government and the administration have come face to face over reopening of liquor shops in red zones.
On the one hand, the excise department has issued an order for reopening of liquor shops outside containment zones, because the government is losing revenue.
On the other hand, collectors have declined to reopen the liquor shops in red zones because of the spread of the virus.
The collectors of Indore and Bhopal said liquor shops would not be allowed to reopen in these districts.
According to the Central government guidelines, liquor can be reopened outside containment areas.
When there was a demand from various states for reopening of liquor shops because of loss of revenue, the Central government issued the above guidelines.
Additional chief secretary of the commercial tax department ICP Keshari said the Central government’s guidelines were not made on the basis of zone.
According to Keshari, the state government decided to allow reopening of liquor shops outside the containment areas.
He said decision about not to reopen the liquor shops in red zones was not taken.
Liquor shops in the containment areas in orange zones are not reopened, he said.
Collector of Bhopal Tarun Pithode said liquor shops would not be allowed to reopen.
Similarly, collector of Indore Manish Singh also said he would not allow liquor shops to reopen in the district.
Liquor contractors are in a dilemma over whether they should reopen shops because of different statements issued by the government and the administration.
Liquor traders held a meeting on Sunday over how to run the shops.
