Confusion over circulars, says survey

Respondents were not sure what was allowed as part of the graded lockdown exit

07/05/2020, NISTULA HEBBAR,NEW DELHI

Shutters down: Some liquor stores remained closed in New Delhi on Wednesday.R.V. MoorthyR.V. Moorthy

The lockdown has been extended till May 17, but with a graded exit for various zones. Surveys have indicated that very few people understood the government circulars on what is allowed and what is not.

Less than 25% of the over 16,358 responses polled from 12,410 people across 277 districts surveyed by Local Circles (a community platform) indicated understanding of the circulars — a fact borne out by the large number of clarifications issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after the announcement of the lockdown extension.

Of the respondents, 66% were men and the rest women. 42% of the respondents hailed from Tier 1 cities, 36% from Tier 2, and 22% from Tier 3 and 4 and rural areas.

The survey also reveals that 74% of those polled wanted no relaxations to the lockdown in districts that showed a high virus load (out of the 277 districts polled, 27 had high virus load).

Another survey was taken just after alcohol was allowed to be sold from standalone stores. It showed that 52% of around 8,078 respondents across 250 districts were of the view that home delivery of alcoholic beverages should be attempted by State governments to prevent infection spread through crowding at stores.

Around 16% of the respondents said that the shop opening time should be extended, while 23% were in favour of heavy police presence to ensure social distancing. Several States have increased the prices of liquor with a “corona cess”, but the lines have remained long and the shops crowded.

While home delivery is not explicitly disallowed or allowed by State excise laws, Chattisgarh has allowed online booking and sale of liquor, for up to 5 litres of alcohol per customer and a delivery charge of ₹120.

Of the over 8,000 respondents, 69% were men and 31% women, with 45% of them from Tier 1 cities, 35% from Tier 2, and the rest from Tiers 3, 4 and rural areas.