Petitions demanding closure of TASMAC-run liquor shops dominated the weekly grievance day meeting at the Collectorate here on Monday with residents, predominantly women, from at least five different areas submitting them.
More than 50 people from Agasthiyar Street and surrounding areas in Villapuram came to the Collectorate after their attempt to prevent the inauguration of a shop in the area on Monday morning failed.
“When we tried to protest there, we were threatened by employees at the shop and members of a political party. Hence, we came to the Collectorate,” P. Veera, a resident, said.
Stating that the residents came to know about the inauguration of the shop only a few days back, A. Santhi, a resident of nearby Nallathambi Thoppu, said that their petition to Avaniapuram police was ignored.
“The police advised us to punish our husbands if they consumed alcohol, instead of demanding the closure of shops,” she said.
G. Geetha, who resides a few metres away from the newly-inaugurated shop, said that a school and anganwadi were located nearby. “Moreover, it is a residential area and we have to cross the shop often for buying groceries and other needs,” she said.
Similarly, a group of women from Nondikovilpatti in Melur municipality also submitted a petition to stop the opening of a TASMAC shop in their locality.
Highlighting that another group of women was simultaneously staging a protest in the area on Monday, P. Thottichi said, “Melur tahsildar and the police have told us that our demand will be favourably considered. However, we need an assurance from the Collector.”
Pointing out that a majority of men in the area were already addicted to liquor, she said that opening of another shop would worsen the situation.
“Two schools, a government arts college and a mosque are located in the vicinity. The road in which the shop is coming up is also the main access for 20 nearby villages,” she added.
A section of residents of Raja Mill Road and nearby areas also demanded that a proposal to open a TASMAC shop in the area be dropped.
Apart from the presence of three temples nearby, the residents also highlighted that the shop would increase alcoholism among labourers employed in the large number of workshops in the area.
A group of residents from Ponnagaram and members of Democratic Youth Federation of India submitted a petition, highlighting that the assurance made by TASMAC officials to close shop number 5152 in Ponnagaram was not met even after a month.
Similarly, a group of residents from Sikkandar Chavadi made a representation complaining that though the shop in the area had remained shut for the past one week following their protest, their demand for closing it down had not been met.
