All liquor stores across Chhattisgarh, will remain closed until March 31 following the 21-day lockdown announced in the wake of the               coronavirus pandemic.

In wake of the          preventive measures undertaken by the Chhattisgarh government to control and contain the spread of coronavirus infection and the 21-day lockdown, the state excise department on Wednesday extended the closure of liquor shops, bars, pubs, and restaurants from March 25 to March 31.

In a notification issued by Mariyanus Tigga, under secretary, state commercial tax (excise) department, all of country-made, Indian-made foreign liquor stores, bars, pubs, and restaurants will  now remain closed until March 31.

In an earlier order, all country made and IMFL liquor shops, the Chhattisgarh state          beverages corporation godowns (in Raipur and Bilaspur) and the district level country made liquor storage centres, were directed to remain closed until March 25.

The new directive said, under the provisions of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act, 1915 Section 24, sub        section (1), until further order, all the liquor outlets, godowns and storage     centres will now remain closed until March 31.

All the excise department officials have been directed to implement the order strictly, it said.

In another notification  the under secretary, said all the restaurants and hotel bars across the state, too will also remain closed until March 31.

Earlier, the date of    closure was until March 25, which has been extended to March 31, the order said.