Ranchi, July 8: Most liquor shops in the capital remained closed today.

The move comes in the wake of the decision of the Jharkhand Wine Dealers’ Sangharsh Samiti to not rent out their shops to Narottamka Mercantile Private Limited (NMPL), the company which has bagged the right to distribute liquor in entire district under new excise policy.

The situation is likely to continue for a few days. “We will not let out our shops to a mafia. We are the owners and refuse to work as a salesman instead,” said Deepak Sharma, a retailer.

Another dealer Sanjeev Singh said, “After the implementation of the new excise policy, prices of Indian-made foreign liquor has been hiked by 40 per cent. Sales are bound to suffer. As owners we were able to negotiate with customers. But now it isn’t possible for us to do so. We won’t rent our shops,” he added.

Closure of wine shop adversely affected the income of the NMPL, which has bagged the distribution right.

“The company paid Rs 1.2 crore to the excise department to get the distribution right of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL). It has to earn at least Rs 4 lakh every day to run its business on a minimum ‘no profit no loss’ basis. But today the company incurred a huge loss. If the strike continues there the loss will be very heavy,” said a company staff.

Proprietor of NMPL Ajit Kothari, however, said that everything would be “okay” very soon. “We got the licence two days back and managed to open 30 shops in the capital. Since the policy is new, we are facing some teething problems. But I am sure the problems will be soon be sorted out,” he said.