No liquor during the Talawila Church Feast

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

The sale of liquor will be banned in Kalpitiya during the feast of St. Anne’s at Talawila during the first week of August on the orders of the Excise Commissioner General, the department said yesterday. As such alcoholic beverages will not be sold from August 1 to 5 in bars, restaurants and wine stores from Palaviya to Kalpitiya. Excise Spokesman Deputy Director Kapila Kumarasinghe said the Excise Commissioner General has taken this decision following a request made by Rev. Fr. Nelson Samantha Fernando of the Chilaw Diocese. Following the order Assistant Excise Commissioner (North Western Province) has instructed Excise Superintendents in charge of Chilaw and Waikkal Divisions to deploy additional officers from the Puttalam and Chilaw Excise Stations to monitor any illegal sale of liquor in the area during this period. They have been given strict instructions to take legal action under the Excise Ordinance should anybody violate the ban.