Coronavirus has brought bad news for the drunkards of Assam – all the IMFL ‘on’ shops and bars in the state will remain closed till March 31.
Through a W.T. message, the excise commissioner, Assam, has asked the superintendents of excise, deputy superintendents of excise and the deputy commissioners concerned in the state to immediately take action for closing the IMFL ‘on’ shops.
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The superintendents of excise, deputy superintendent of excise and DCs, to whom the WT message was sent are from Hailakandi, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia, Goalpara, Barpeta, Golaghat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Dhemaii, Morigaon, Dhubri, Nagaon, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Cachar, Karimgani, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Sonitpur, Baksa, Chirang and Kamrup (Metro).
The WT message issued by the additional commissioner of excise, Assam said: “No. III-81/2018-2019/43. dt. 18.03.2020 (.) all IMFL ‘on’ shops are to remain closed up to 31st March, 2020 with immediate effect and until further orders (.) Therefore you are requested to take immediate action accordingly (.)”
The copy of the WT message was also sent to the staff officer to the chief secretary to the Assam government; the principal secretary to the excise department, Assam and the personal secretary to the Assam minister for excise, for necessary action.
A copy of the message was sent to the officer-in-charge, APRO at Dispur for its immediate transmission to the districts concerned.
Meanwhile, all educational institutions, both government and private, cinema halls, swimming pools, and gyms have been closed in Assam till March 29 as a precautionary measure to check community transmission of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
All examinations have also been postponed except for the board examinations of CBSE and SEBA.
However, no confirmed case of COVID-19 has been found so far in Assam.
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The Assam government has already formed a core committee and IAS Anurag Goel has been appointed as the nodal officer of the committee.