Lockdown 3.0: Where All Will Liquor Shops Be Allowed to Function?

A bartender pours beer at an Indian bar. Image used for representation purposes. 

(Photo: Reuters)

The nationwide lockdown has been extended for a further period of two weeks with effect from May 4, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday, 1 May.

The third phase of lockdown will continue till 18 May.

Now, in addition to the directives on the lockdown extension, was an annexure which has stated the opening of liquor and paan shops in green and orange zones (but some state governments may choose to keep it closed), according to NDTV.

What Does the Order Say?

• Consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco etc in public spaces is not allowed
• Shops selling liquor, paan, gutka tobacco etc, will ensure minimum six feet distance (do gaz ki doori) from each other, and also ensure that not more than five persons are present at one time at the shop.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

(Catch all the live updates on coronavirus outbreak and lockdown here).

What are the Green & Orange Zones?

The green zones are the ones where there has been no confirmed case in the last 21 days, while orange zone is one where the pandemic appears to have been reined in.

The Union Health Ministry had issued a revised list of districts under red, orange and green zones. A total of 130 districts across the country have been placed under the red zone, while 284 and 319 districts have been identified as orange and green zones, respectively.

In Uttar Pradesh there are 20 green zones, 36 orange zones and 19 red zones. In Maharashtra there are six green zones, 16 orange zones and 14 red zones.

Uttarakhand has ten green zones, two orange zones and one red zone. The most number of green zones are, however, in Chhattisgarh with one orange zone and one red zone.