Are Tasmac shops being run in approved buildings, asks Madras high court
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Managing Director of Tasmac to file an affidavit as to how many Tasmac shops were functioning in approved buildings in the state.
A division bench comprising Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam gave the directive while passing interim orders on the petitions filed by D.Selvakumar and 6 other residents of Balan Nagar at Peelamedu in Coimbatore district.
While in one petition, they sought to close down a Tasmac shop at Balan Nagar, in the other petition they sought a direction to the authorities to wind up Tasmac shops across the state.
Ordering temporary closure of a Tasmac shop at Balan Nagar, the bench said this court was prima facie of the view that running Tasmac shop appears to be against the provisions of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, Tamil Nadu Liquor Vending Rules and also against Public Interest. Hence, there shall be an order of interim injunction restraining the authorities to temporarily close down the shop till the disposal of the petition, the bench added.
Impleading the Managing Director of Tasmac, the bench directed him to file an affidavit furnishing the details relating to how many Tasmac shops were being run on the premises which did not have authorization plan and building permit, how many Tasmac shop were running in pucca building, the steps taken to maintain the area in and around the place, in which Tasmac shops and bar were running in a neat, tidy and healthy condition and in the event of recurs of law and order created by the drunkard, steps taken to control the said misuse, the bench added and posted to February 8, further hearing of the case.
Earlier, senior counsel A.E.Chelliah submitted that narrating the problems faced by the residents, school and college going children, pregnant women and elders because of the Tasmac Shop in Balan Nagar, the resident gave representation to the district collector. The drunkards, not only creating problems but also causing hindrance to the traffic and turning the entire area unhygienic. The collector ordered the closure of the shop. But, within two days after the closure, ordered the re-opening of the shop. The shop was not functioning in a building or pucca building as insisted by the Rules or as recommended by the District Manager, Tasmac and accepted by the District Collector for opening the shop within just 2 days of its closure. The Bar was not an enclosure with erection of Thick Tin Sheets on the four sides and no roof at all, Chelliah added.
Narrating the evil effects of consuming liquor, Senior counsel Chelliah sought to wind up the Tasmac.
