Two states in the northeast—Assam and Meghalaya—have decided to allow liquor shops to open from Monday amid the ongoing lockdown to break the chain of coronavirus infections.
In an order issued on Sunday, the Assam excise department allowed liquor shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries to open from Monday. Bars will, however, remain closed.
The order stated that liquor shops will remain open from 10am to 5pm on permitted days provided the licensees ensure the maintenance of one-metre distance between customers, cough etiquette and other guidelines issued by the health department.
The shops have been asked to operate with “bare minimum staff” and provide hand sanitisers to customers and staff while handling bottles and cash.
Wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, breweries and distillers will have to operate with not more than 50% of their regular staff and workers. They will also have to arrange for staff to stay within the premises or a nearby place.
“Since the lockdown started, manufacture and sale of illicit country liquor have increased manifold. There was a possibility of people dying from consumption of illicit liquor if authorised shops were not allowed to open,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity.
On average, Assam earns nearly Rs 250 crore as revenue from the sale of liquor and in the past two weeks, the state has lost over Rs 100 crore in earnings.
The official quoted above emphasised that financial consideration was not the reason for opening liquor shops.
Assam’s decision followed an order issued by the Meghalaya government earlier on Sunday which allowed liquor shops to open from Monday for the next five days.
Officials in Assam said there was a possibility of liquor being shipped to the state from neighbouring Meghalaya.
Meghalaya excise department has allowed liquor shops in the state to open from 9am to 4pm from Monday till Friday while maintaining social distancing and cough etiquettes.
“Home delivery of liquor will be allowed in the areas without wine shops for which modalities could be worked out by the respective deputy commissioners,” the order read.
