Liquor rates of Gurgaon and Faridabad as compared to Delhi showed a startling difference. For instance, a bottle of one of the premium brands was being sold for Rs 350 in Gurgaon and Faridabad as compared to Rs 275 in Delhi. Similarly, a bottle of semi-premium whiskey was selling for Rs 180 here as compared to the Delhi rate of Rs 165. While in Delhi, popular brands of beer were available at Rs 24 each, they were being sold for Rs 50 each in Gurgaon and Faridabad. The effect of price rise is now showing on the sales.``The sales have definitely come down, but there are no options,'' said Pal, partner in Kulwant Singh and Co, who had bought about 200 vends in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts. Pal admitted that their expectations had been high when they purchased the vends at a whopping cost. ``But now we have estimated that we'll be losing quite a bit.''

It may be recalled that the UP-base consortium, Kulwant Singh and company had bought 72 vends of Gurgaon district for Rs 51 crore at a re-auction at Ambala. The auction of these vends at Gurgaon was cancelled after the consortium offered more money to the government. Uma Liquors had earlier purchased these vends at Rs 43 crores at an action at Gurgaon. The UP-based consortium had also managed to get about 118 vends in Faridabad district, thus completely monopolising this area.

Ram Pal admitted that rise in prices will encourage the parallel liquor lobby and revitalise them. ``Smuggling will continue, we know that,'' Pal said.