Amid lockdown, the Meghalaya state government said on Monday that it is allowing home delivery of liquor to those who need it for health reasons.
A letter written by B Syiemlieh, Deputy Secretary, Excise, Registrtion, Taxation and Stamp department to Commissioner, Excise Meghalaya said the state government has approved “home delivery of liquor on health grounds strictly against medical prescription issued by registered medical practitioner.”
The letter said bonded warehouses may be allowed to sell and provide home delivery of liquor till April 14, the day the ongoing 21-day lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19 is scheduled to end. No Covid-19 positive case has been reported from the state so far.
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As per the plan, the state’s NIC wing will design an online system where those who are 21 years and above can upload their medical prescription and order the liquor from the bonded warehouse in their respective district.
The warehouses have also been allowed to charge a maximum of Rs 100 as delivery fee for 15 kilometres or less and Rs 200 for more than 15 kilometre distance. The letter clarifies that it is a temporary provision.
Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister P Vijayan had issued a similar order asking the state’s excise department to provide liquor against valid medical prescription. As per reports, as many as seven persons committed suicide in the state depressed over their inability to procure liquor due to the lockdown.
