Covid norms relaxation for liquor vends in Haryana draws flak

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, January 20

The Haryana Government’s decision to extend the timings of liquor vends but keeping the curbs on the opening of educational institutes and shops intact has drawn flak.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda has decried the move stating that the government had extended the timings for opening of liquor vends till 10 pm but other shopkeepers were not allowed to open their shops after 6 pm.

Leaders of local traders have also lodged their protest against the government’s decision.

‘Why revenue sole concern?’

Education and healthcare should be priorities of a welfare state, but the government has neglected these sectors and has been focussing on generation of revenue. —Mahavir Sharma, Former college teacher

On the other hand, the owners/managers of schools and coaching academies have questioned the move to allow liquor vends, bars and restaurants to operate but keeping the educational institutes closed.

Education does not seem to be a priority with the government, they maintain.

Teachers working at private academies and coaching centres on part-time basis have been forced to work as insurance agents and food delivery boys to make ends meet as they have been rendered jobless due to Covid restrictions.

Protests have also been staged in some parts of the state against the alleged indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned in this regard. Dinesh Kumar, who runs a private teaching academy at Rohtak, says teachers working at coaching centres have been rendered jobless due to the discontinuation of regular classes.

“I have started working as an insurance agent to earn a livelihood. Another teacher working at a private coaching centre has applied for a job to work as a food delivery boy on part-time basis to make ends meet,” he says. —

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