Thiruvananthapuram: A high-level meeting chaired by the Kerala Chief Minister decided that bars in the state will not be reopened soon considering the present critical state of COVID 19.
The meeting decided against people drinking and spending time together at the bars in such a crucial phase of COVID transmission. Maintaining the status quo, the takeaway counters can be operated as it is, in the bars.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had called for a high-level meeting on Thursday to decide on the reopening of bars in the State reviewing the current situation. The State Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan, Excise Commissioner, Beverages Corporation Managing Director, Secretary to the State Taxes Department and the State Police Chief participated in the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
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Earlier, it was planned to end the takeaway counter sales once the bars were decided to be reopened. The Excise Commissioner, in his report to the Excise Minister, had recommended reopening the bars, beer and wine parlours in the state complying as per the COVID-19 precautions and guidelines.
In the recommendation, the Excise Commissioner had said that like the other states - Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana - which have reopened the bars, Kerala could also reopen the bars and beer parlours in compliance with the COVID-19 measures.
However, in the current situation where COVID-19 transmission in the state has become very critical and a curfew has been imposed, reopening the bars in the state will not be a favourable decision, the high level meet observed. The Bar Owners Association had also approached the government seeking to open the bars in the state.
Also read: Bars in Kerala set to re-open
