Countrywide liquor banned on Poson Poya Day, seven days in Anuradhapura

Colombo, June 18 (Daily Mirror) - The sale of all alcoholic beverages will be banned countrywide on Friday, June 21st in view of the Poson Full Moon Poya Day and the sale of booze is prohibited from two to seven days in selected sacred zones by order of the Excise Commissioner General.

Excise Chief M J Gunasiri told the Daily Mirror yesterday apart from the countrywide closure on Friday, selected Poson festival zones in Dambulla and Tissamaharama Urban Council areas will be closed for two days on Friday, June 21st and Saturday June 22nd.

Meanwhile, sale of liquor is prohibited for seven days during the Poson week, which started from yesterday (18) until June 24th covering the entire Anuradhapura sacred city including the Divisional Secretariats of Nuwaragam Palatha Central, Nuwaragam Palatha East and Mihintale.

All licensed liquor shops, wine stores, bars, taverns and restaurants selling liquor will be ordered to remain shut during this period and strict action is warned against those who violate the Excise law, the Commissioner General said.