Chennai: With reduction in working hours, Tasmac outlets have started recording a down trend in sale of liquor. “All 7,000 odd liquor outlets across the state are witnessing sales dip from five to six per cent”, a top Tasmac official told DC.
For the past two years, the billing and tax structures were periodically revised to ensure that Tasmac’s earnings were kept between Rs 22,000 crore to Rs 24,000 crore mark, but this year the sales will plummet. Reduced working hours, increase in dry days due to Assembly and civic polls and closure of about 500 shops will bring down the annual sales volume by at least by 10 per cent, he said.
District collectors have been briefed about the Chief Minister’s order instructing prohibition in a phased manner and Collectors will submit a list of shops to Tasmac headquarters.
Shops that are posing nuisance in busy areas, the ones located close to schools and religious places are under scrutiny. The public should also use the opportunity and record their grievances in the issue, the official added.
The regional managers are now conducting back-to-back meetings to identify the 500 shops that are to be closed from their point of view and will soon have a plan to distribute the staff working in the shops to be shut down. Roughly about 2,000 employees will be affected by closure of the shops, Tasmac sources said.
“Prohibition in a phased manner is a welcome move, but the government has to chalk out counselling and de addiction plans for tipplers. Liquor being a State subject, there has to be more stringent action against those creating ruckus under the influence of alcohol”, opined Madras High court advocate C.R. Sridhar.
Further, in Tamil Nadu the prescribed age limit for alcohol consumption is 21, but under this rule hardly any action is taken against teenagers, he said.
