Lockdown: Liquor shops, bottling plants to open in Assam from Monday

All liquor shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries across Assam will open from Monday for seven hours daily, an excise department order said on Sunday.

A letter from Additional Commissioner of Excise S K Medhi to all the deputy commissioners (DCs) said the state government has approved opening of liquor shops with effect from April 13, subject to compliance of various guidelines issued by the health department.

Along with the liquor shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries have also been allowed to operate from Monday.

"IMFL OFF/CS OFF shop shall remain open from 10 am to 5 pm on the permitted days.... Shops may work with bare minimum staff and provide hand sanitisers to customers and staff while handling the bottles and cash," the letter said.

Medhi also told the DCs that the shops and other permitted installations will be responsible for deploying their staff to ensure social distancing and will have to strictly follow all the directives issued by the National Health Mission with reference to COVID-19.

"The wholesale warehouses, distilleries, breweries, bottling plants shall work with bare minimum staff but not more than 50 per cent of their regular staff and workers," the letter said.

It stated that all the permitted establishments must arrange to keep their staff and workers within their campus and arrange food and other amenities for them.

"If the above arrangement is not possible, they shall arrange to keep such workers and staff at a designated place nearest to the factory premises.

"They shall also arrange transportation for the staff and workers from the designated place to the factory by observing all the COVID-19 guidelines," Medhi said in the letter.

For transportation of liquor consignments, vehicle passes shall be obtained from the deputy commissioners of the respective districts, he added.

"Any violation of the guidelines issued in regard to COVID-19 will invite cancellation of the excise license," Medhi said.