Liquor Shops in Puri to Remain Closed from June 18

Puri: Heartbreak for tipplers in Puri as all liquor shops in the pilgrim town will remain closed from June 18 for ensuing Ratha Jatra of Living Trinity.

Official sources said that like every year, all the liquor shops will be sealed by the Excise Department during Ratha Jatra scheduled on June 20 this year. The order has been passed to close the liquor shops both (liquor-off and liquor-on) from June 18 night, a day before Ratha Jatra.

As per the official order, total 18 liquor-off shops and 16 liquor-on shops in and around Puri town will remain closed from June 18 night till the chariots reach Gundicha Temple. Afterwards, the shops can open. The liquor shops will remain closed during Bahuda Jatra too. As per the order, the shops will remain closed from June 26 night till Suna Besha of deities atop chariots.

According to reports, a control room has been opened by the district excise at barrack to keep vigil on illegal drug trade. The 24-hour control room will continue functioning till June 30. In this regard, two teams led by District Excise Superintendent Jagdish Chandra Samal will be engaged for patrolling to curb illegal sale of liquor, banned contrabands including ganja and brown sugar during Ratha Jatra in Puri town.

Four teams headed by Samal and consisting of Inspector Manasi Sahoo, Inspector Parthasarathy Rout, six excise sub-inspectors, 13 ASIOs and 29 constables have been formed for crackdown on illegal sale of liquors and other toxic items during auspicious occasion in holy town Puri.

The officials will be deployed for 24-hour patrolling and inspection at the control room. Especially, they will carry out patrolling at all entrance points to Puri like Satapada, Rameswar and Uttara Chhak, informed Excise Superintendent Jagdish Chandra Samal.