Chennai: With just four days remaining before the Tamil Nadu government's May 26 deadline to close 717 Tasmac outlets situated within 500 meters of temples, schools, and bus stands, Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh on Saturday directed Tasmac officials to expedite the closure of the remaining 281 outlets and step up enforcement against illicit liquor and spurious alcohol across the state.
Review Meetings on Liquor Control
Chairing two separate review meetings at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) headquarters, Vignesh assessed the implementation of the government's liquor control measures. On May 11, soon after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay assumed office, he signed a Government Order (GO) mandating the closure of 717 outlets, fulfilling pre-election promises to regulate alcohol consumption and move toward a drug-free state. The move is expected to pose immediate revenue challenges.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the department reported that 436 retail liquor outlets and their attached bars have already been closed. Vignesh instructed officials to ensure the remaining outlets and bars are shut quickly and that employees from closed shops are redeployed to nearby outlets to protect their livelihoods. He reiterated that all Tasmac outlets and attached bars must close by 10 pm and warned that strict action would be taken against staff selling liquor above the maximum retail price.
Enforcement Against Illicit Liquor
At a separate review of the Prohibition and Excise Department, attended by Prohibition Commissioner S P Karthikaa and other senior officials, the minister directed district-level officers to intensify checks on illicit liquor brewing, transportation, and sale. He urged officials to conduct regular field inspections to ensure recreational clubs with FL2 licenses comply with all rules and directed excise supervisory officers to verify that liquor manufacturing units adhere to all regulations.
