High and dry

Not just the netas, even voters are feeling the heat. With FOUR consecutive dry days, starting April 28, tipplers in the city fear being left...

Not just the netas, even voters are feeling the heat. With FOUR consecutive dry days, starting April 28, tipplers in the city fear being left...

As if choosing a neta wasn't hard enough, the city's tipplers are now worried about being left high and dry as the election runs its course.

drinking problem: Mumbaikars plan to stock up on their favourite liquor brands to tide over the dry spell

Starting April 28, Mumbai will face four consecutive dry days the first three days for the elections on April 30 and the last on account of Maharashtra Day. May 16, which is the counting day, has also been declared a dry day.

Stocking up

Said Sumedh Kubal, an electronic engineer, "I am planning to stock my favourite liquor, as the dry days are coming at an inconvenient time. It's my friend's birthday. So we have no choice, but to make sure that we have enough liquor stocked up."

He added, "There should be only two dry days."

Ravi Shinde, who works with a telecommunications company, said, "I may have to either stock my favourite brand or shell out more to get my drinks in black. This is the time when sellers make money from people like us who are particular about their brands."

Appeal

Their worries were echoed by bar, restaurant and wine shop owners across the city. So much so that the Association of Hotel and Restaurant (AHAR) is planning to request the excise department to reduce the number of dry days to three.

Citing the losses already incurred by the industry due to the economic downturn and terror attacks, AHAR president Narayan Alva said, "This has added to our worries. Also, it makes no sense to call our staff for just a few hours on the partial dry days (see The break up) and pay them for that."

But the excise department is unwilling to bow to their demands. "The bars and wine shops have to remain shut completely for only two days April 29 and May 1. We can't compromise on the number of days," said a senior excise officer.

The break up
April 28: Bars and shops to remain open till 5 pm
April 29: Complete dry day
April 30 (Voting Day): Bars and shops to open after 5 pm
May 1 (Maharashtra Day): Complete dry day
May 16 (Counting day): Complete dry day

List of dry days
>> Republic Day
>> Martyrs Day
>> Maharashtra Day
>> Ashadi Ekadashi
>> Independence Day
>> Anant Chaturdashi
>> Two days in prohibition week on October 2 and 8
>> Kartiki Ekadashi