The Madras High Court on Friday issued a stern warning that its order permitting the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to collect Rs 10 for returning empty liquor bottles should not be misconstrued as a license to charge extra amounts from buyers. A special bench comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy clarified that the additional Rs 10 is intended to incentivize the return of empty bottles and must be part of the bill, refundable upon return. The court expressed concern that the provision has been misinterpreted, leading to demands for extra amounts over the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
Government Plans Revamp of Buyback Scheme
During the hearing on Friday, the Tamil Nadu government informed the court that it is planning a complete overhaul of the empty liquor bottle buyback scheme. The government is exploring alternatives to avoid using Tasmac staff for collecting empty bottles, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. The bench recorded these submissions and directed Tasmac to file a progress report within four weeks, adjourning the hearing for eight weeks.
Implementation Deadline Extended
On March 13, the court had set a final deadline of May 31 for full implementation of the buyback scheme across all Tasmac shops in the state. The scheme was introduced following court orders aimed at curbing environmental damage caused by empty liquor bottles littered in public spaces, especially near forest areas. So far, the scheme has been fully implemented in 28 districts. A tender has been floated to affix QR codes on liquor bottles, which is expected to streamline the collection process without imposing additional burdens on employees, according to the government.
