Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that all liquor shops will be shut down in a phased manner as the state is headed towards total prohibition.
"Alcohol prohibition will be implemented in the entire state by closing all liquor shops in a phased manner," Chouhan said on Sunday.
He made the comment while addressing a river conservation programme at Neemkhera village in Narsinghpur district.
"In the first phase, the state government closed all the shops falling within a radius of five kilometers from the banks of river Narmada on either side.
“In next phase, liquor shops would not be allowed to open in residential areas, near educational institutes or religious places," PTI quoted him as saying.
He also said that a de-addiction drive would also be launched in the state soon.
The state had recently witnessed protests against the liquor shops.
Last week, protesters had burnt two vehicles and damaged four others in Bareli town when officials tried to shift liquor shops to a residential colony.
Protests were also reported from Indore, Sagar, Burhanpur, Chhatarpur, and some towns during last one month, PTI said.
