PUDUCHERRY: The Union territory of Puducherry has announced a few relaxations in its lockdown norms and allowed to reopen retail liquor shops, including arrack shops, starting Tuesday.
The liquor shops will remain open from 9am to 5pm on all days.
They were closed more than a month ago after the government imposed a partial lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the territory.
The government has also directed the excise department to issue instructions for door delivery of liquor products within the Union territory following all existing norms to reduce the footfalls at liquor shops.
The government closed the liquor shops in Puducherry on April 26 while the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu closed Tasmac liquor outlets on May 10 to control the spread of Covid-19.
“Opening of liquor shops will pose a serious challenge of crowd control.
Given the fact that shops had been closed for long and the neighbouring state is yet to open its liquor vends, there may be a surge of crowd of intrastate and interstate (on borders).
It is imperative to put in place rigorous safety norms of barricading entrances, increased enforcement, safety norms of hand hygiene, social distancing and others.
The excise department in joint coordination with police department shall ensure strict enforcement of crowd regulation at the liquor vends,” secretary (relief and rehabilitation) and state executive committee member secretary Ashok Kumar.
“…adequate security shall be put in place in shops located on the borders for enforcing crowd control/regulation.
Duty charts be drawn for crowd regulation.
The excise department shall issue stern directions on the safety norms to be followed by the retail liquor vends with no compromise whatsoever failing which the shops/vends will be made liable,” said Kumar.
The government also directed the employees engaged in industrial establishments, manufacturing centres, construction firms to undergo Covid-19 rapid antigen test.
The government directed all eligible employees to get themselves vaccinated within 15 days failing which the units will be closed.
The government has also directed all shop owners and people working in shops and commercial establishments to get themselves vaccinated within 15 days failing which they will not be permitted to function.
The Beach Road will be opened from 5am to 9am for regular walkers on all days.
All religious places and places of worship will be opened for public till 5pm.
However, only priests and employees of the religious places can conduct essential pujas and rituals and there must not be any congregation at the places of worship.
The government also permitted goods, private and government public passengers transport (buses, autos and taxies) to operate till 5pm on all days following Covid-19 standard operating procedures.
Transport department can resume registering automobiles and issuing driving licences.
The registration department can resume registration of documents.
The revised lockdown measures will be in force till June 14 (midnight).