Kerala government had provided guidelines to make alcohol available to people who are showing withdrawal symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. If one has any issue related to it, a special pass from the excise office has been issued for buying booze if they manage to produce a doctor’s certificate along with personal identification documents.
The state government had already denied any objection raised by the doctors’ association, has ruled out opening the state monopoly alcohol sales outlets.
The excise department reiterates however that they will issue only one pass per each applicant.
Persons showing these alcohol symptoms can go to following govt owned places to get an issued pass: primary health centres including ESI, block-level PHCs, taluk hospitals, district hospitals, speciality hospitals and medical colleges – to get them examined.
If the doctor certifies that the patient shows withdrawal symptoms, he could apply to the excise department for a bottle of booze.
The patient or a person deputed by the patient can produce the medical certificate and other documents to the nearby excise range office or circle office. Identification documents such as Aadhaar, voter’s identification card or driving licence has to be produced along with the medical certificate.
The pass can then be taken to the Kerala State Beverages Corporation managing director, who will take necessary measures to distribute alcohol without opening the outlets.
