Lockdown in Puducherry: Licences of 14 liquor shops cancelled

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry government has cancelled the licences of 14 wholesale and retail Indian-made foreign liquor shops and arrack shops for selling liquor during the lockdown period.
The government’s action came after AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbalagan lodged a complaint with lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi.
Bedi forwarded the complaint to secretary (excise) Shurbir Singh directing him to initiate stringent action against the violators.
Singh passed an order directing the commissioner (excise) to seal all liquor retail shops, the wholesale godowns and distilleries and ensure that they are not 'de-sealed'. He directed the commissioner to submit compliance reports at 5pm every day.
He wanted the commissioner to find the stock position of distilleries, wholesale godowns, bars and retail shops on March 24, the day when the lockdown was imposed, to analyse the illegal sale of liquor since then. He directed the commissioner to form separate teams with a sufficient number of staff members to compare the stock position on March 24 and April 13 at all shops with the help of the police. The exercise must be completed by April 15 and action must be taken against the people for selling liquor during the lockdown.
Singh also insisted on transferring officials who have been posted in same distilleries for more than one year.