Hyderabad, December 30: In view of the New Year's eve celebrations, the Telangana government has permitted the sale of liquor till midnight. As per the regular norm, the liquor stores are required to down their shutters at 11 pm. An extra one-hour permit has been granted for December 31, when alcohol is widely consumed to mark the onset of new calendar year.

The state government has also allowed licensed bars to serve liquor at their premises till 1 am in the intervening night of December 31 and January 1. The same permit has been extended to event organisers and Tourism Development Corporation, the State Excise Commissioner was reported as saying. From Sydney, New York, London, Dubai and Singapore, How Major Cities Will Welcome 2021 Amid COVID-19 Restrictions.

The government, despite easing the norms, has stated that the COVID-19 safety protocols should be strictly observed. Face masks will remain mandatory, and bars would be required to maintain social distancing among the customers.

In several parts of the country, a night curfew has been imposed to restrict New Year eve gatherings. The move is aimed at preventing the violation of social distancing norms - which may lead to a spurt in COVID-19 infections.

The identification of a new COVID-19 strain, believed to be brought into the country by passengers returning from the UK, has also compelled some state governments to tighten the restrictions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2020 09:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).