Tamil Nadu government on Sunday announced the opening of state-owned TASMAC liquor shops from tomorrow, though the number of new Covid-19 cases in the city is showing an increasing trend.

Liquor shops were closed since March due to the pandemic- induced lockdown, while other parts of the state enjoyed it early. According to an official release the retail liquor shops were allowed to open from 10 am to 7 pm from 18 August by following social-distancing norms.

Only 500 tokens would be issued a day. Use of face masks has been made mandatory. Liquor shops in containment zones would continue to remain shut.

TASMAC shops were allowed to open on 7 May in areas other than those under Chennai Corporation limits, prompting tipplers to make a beeline in the border areas of the neighbouring districts to get their daily quota.

With TASMAC management allowing opening of retail vending shops from Tuesday, it has come as a big relief to the tipplers in the city.

Ever since the shops were closed after the outbreak of the pandemic in the third week of March, tipplers were left high and dry with those selling in blackmarkets making a killing.

Relief came in the form of the government allowing shops to function in the border districts of Chennai from 7 May. Since then, the sales, especially on Saturdays taking into account the complete lockdown on all Sundays, touched close to Rs 150 crore mark.

This weekend, with Saturday (Independence Day) and Sunday being holidays, the sales almost touched Rs 250 crore. The sales from TASMAC is one of the major revenue earners for the government with the annual sales crossing Rs 30,000 crore.

However, it was likely to be impacted slightly this year in view of the lockdown. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu today reported 5,890 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total number of persons who have tested positive so far to 3,43,945.

According to the daily health bulletin, Chennai reported 1,185 cases in the past 24 hours. The city again started showing signs of increase in daily loads while it was below 1,000 for the past few days.

The total number of positive cases in the metropolis has reached 1,17,839 and its neighbouring districs like Chengalpattu today registered 224 new cases, Kancheepuram reported 174 infections and Thiruvallur 308.

Tamil Nadu today saw the death of 120 patients, taking the fatality rate in the state to 5,886. Following the trend of increasing cases in Chennai, the Greater Chennai Corporation has increased testing.