There is no alcohol ban in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said and added that toddy shops will be opened from May 13.
Addressing the media here on Wednesday, the CM said that the delay in opening liquor shops is due to problems other states faced when they opened liquor shops. “We do not want such problems in our state,” Pinarayi Vijayan said.
“The move to open toddy shops is to safeguard toddy tappers in the state. “Toddy production has started. Permission was granted to start toddy tapping earlier,” the CM added.
As toddy tapping was permitted earlier, toddy production needs to start now. If not, there could be problems. Now it’s only a matter of taking toddy to the toddy shops. Hence, permission is granted to open toddy shops.
“It needs to be examined whether permission can be granted to sit and drink at toddy shops,” the CM said.
Answering a question, the CM added that complaints that the Excise Department not allowing toddy tapping had not come to his attention.
Answering another question, Pinarayi Vijayan said that the government has not examined the possibility of online liquor sale and a decision in this regard will be taken later.
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