Chennai: The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has resumed closing liquor outlets after a week-long pause, but the shops being shuttered do not align with the original list drawn up by district managers. Instead, officials have targeted outlets without attached bars and those in clusters with the lowest sales, a shift previously reported by the Times of India.
Background of the Closure Initiative
On May 11, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced a promise to shut 717 liquor shops located near schools and places of worship. The effort began swiftly, with roughly 460 shops closed before it halted. Bar owners had lobbied against shutting attached-bar outlets, arguing that it would eliminate jobs for workers dependent on them.
Shift in Methodology
At a thanksgiving rally in Trichy on Monday, Vijay declared the promise fulfilled, though the numbers and methodology had quietly shifted. By Tuesday, Tasmac management was under pressure to complete the closures. The corporation sought district-wise sales figures and directed managers to prioritize closing low-revenue outlets. Officials stated that the remaining closures would be completed before Friday. Shops within 500 meters of prohibited zones, an official explained, would be relocated within the same area rather than facing outright closure.
Impact on Attached Bars
With licenses for existing Tasmac-attached bars set to expire this month, the corporation is also preparing to revise tender conditions to reflect the new rules. This move aims to align with the government's commitment to reduce the number of liquor outlets near sensitive locations.
Enforcement Actions Against Overcharging
In a separate enforcement action, Tasmac has suspended 277 supervisors and salesmen across the state for selling liquor above the maximum retail price. Chennai accounted for the most suspensions, with 117, followed by Trichy with 49, Coimbatore with 39, Madurai with 38, and Salem with 34. Suspended staff must pay a penalty and submit a written undertaking against future violations before they can be redeployed at another outlet.
This development underscores the government's dual approach: fulfilling electoral promises while cracking down on malpractices in the state-run liquor retail network.
