Assam liquor shops closed two days after reopening

The Assam government on Wednesday shut down liquor outlets two days after their opening coincided with the Rongali Bihu festival.

Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said the decision to close down all retail shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries in the State until further orders was in keeping with the revised guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

On Sunday, the State’s Excise Department had issued an order for the reopening of liquor outlets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This saw hundreds queuing up outside outlets across the State, most of them adhering to social distancing and other guidelines unlike buyers of fish and chicken that were allowed to be sold from Sunday.

Excise officials were not clear whether or not the distilleries would be allowed to use alcohol for churning out hand sanitisers, as was the case before the lockdown was enforced from the midnight of March 24.

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