COVID-19: Assam Orders Closure of All Liquor Shops & Bars till March 31

Guwahati, March 18, 2020: 

Assam has ordered the closure of all kinds of liquor shops with effect from March 18 to March 31 as a preventive measure of novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

The Excise Commissionerate of Assam has ordered to close down all the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) upto March 31 with immediate effect.

An official notification issued on Wednesday, the Assam Excise Commissionerate stated, "All IMFL 'ON' shops are to remain closed upto 31st March with immediate effect and until further orders. Therefore you are requested to take immediate action accordingly.

All the district authorities have been directed to ensure that the liquor shops remain shut during the period.

The Assam Government has ordered, in view of the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, has also decided not to issue visitor passes, including e-passes, till March 31.

“In view of the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19) in the country, it is necessary to restrict gathering in public places as well as office premises. Therefore, considering all other aspects and as a preventive measure, it has been decided that no visitor passes including e-passes will be issued till 31-03-2020,” read a notification issued by the Assam Secretariat.

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The Government has also advised the visitors to contact the concerned officers of their respective departments over telephone or e-mails for urgent communication.

It may be mentioned here that in a bid to shield itself from COVID-19, the Assam Government had also prohibited mass gatherings of all types in the State with effect from March 17. The State Government’s prohibitory mass gathering applies to birthday parties, religious functions and any other get-together. As per the prohibitory order, assembling at Mosques for Namaaz has also been restricted.

To prevent an outbreak, the Government has advised to stay away from “non-essential” social gatherings such as birthday parties and marriages. “If the coronavirus enters Assam, the containment will not be easy, as we have many unreachable area; places where the administration cannot reach”, said Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

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Keeping in view of the threat posed by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the Assam Government on Monday also earmarked Government school teachers to carry out awareness campaigns to better educate the people.

Assam has also ordered the closure of Kaziranga and all other wildlife Reserves, National Parks and Sanctuaries of the State from March 17 to March 29, 2020.

It has been ordered that mass gatherings should be avoided in the Wildlife conservation and protected areas of the State, which includes Kaziranga and others, till the disease spread is contained.

A statement issued by the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Wildlife & Chief Wildlife Warden, IFS MK Yadav read, “…it is decided that mass gatherings may be avoided in Wildlife conservation & Protected Areas of the State till the disease spread is contained.”

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It added, “…in order to prevent any accidental spread of COVID-19 virus in the Zoological Parks and Protected Areas of the State, it is hereby notified that the Assam of the State, it is hereby notified that the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden, Guwahati shall remain closed to Visitors with immediate effect till 29th March, 2020.”

Additionally it has stated that all the “TIger Reserves, National Parks and Sanctuaries of the State shall remain closed to VIsitors with effect from 17th March, 2020 till 29th March, 2020.”

Assam has not yet reported any positive case of coronavirus. Yet, it has taken all the preventive measures to keep the virus away. In India, the total confirmed cases have increased to 151. Maharashtra has the highest number of cases, followed by Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.

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