Liquor bottling units in Odisha to resume production amid COVID19 lockdown

Bhubaneswar: While the COVID19 lockdown has left the booze lovers high and dry, good news has finally come their way as Odisha government has approved for resumption of production by bottling and breweries units.

The state Excise Commissioner Anjan Kumar Manik has written to the district collectors of as many as 11 districts to give permission at district level to resume production.

“It is requested to accord permission at your level to the respective bottling/breweries units in your districts to resume production strictly adhering to the latest COVID-19 guidelines,” Manik said in the letter addressed to the Collectors.

In addition to this, “social distancing, 6 feet inter-personal distance, mask wearing, frequent sanitization, appropriate strength of workforce should be maintained,” he added.

Manik further noted that the stock position in the manufacturing units and OSBC godowns may not last to cater to the growing needs of liquor consumers soon after liquor shops are opened post lockdown.

Liquor production will resume in Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Puri, Khurda, Koraput, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Balangir.

Worth mentioning, there are around 22 distilleries/bottling units and breweries functioning in the state.

Notably, units in Sundargarh and Balasore have not been allowed to resume production by the department.