THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has decided not to open bars in the state for the time being considering the rise in COVID-19 cases. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided against reopening bars and wine parlours immediately.
Bar owners came up with a request to reopen them after the government allowed dining in at restaurants as part of Unlock-5. Though the excise department was in favour of reopening bars and submitted a proposal to this effect, the health and police departments expressed concern that it would increase the spread of COVID-19 in the state. The daily COVID-19 cases crossed 10,000 in the state on Wednesday.
The retail sale of liquor through the counters of bars will continue. Though the state government was in favour of reopening bars in the beginning, the spike in COVID-19 cases forced it to postpone the idea for a while. The meeting was attended by excise commissioners and senior officials from various departments.