A group of residents from Sivarakottai near Tirumangalam staged a protest on the Collectorate premises here on Friday condemning the proposal to inaugurate a TASMAC-run liquor shop in the village.
They alleged that though the district administration assured that the shop would not be opened against the will of villagers, work was going on in full swing to inaugurate the shop.
“When we filed a petition regarding this on the first week of July, the work was suspended. However, it is continuing and we hear from officials that the shop would become functional in a week,” said M. Nagaraj, a resident of the village.
Claiming that the proposed shop was coming up on a road usually frequented used by people of Sivarakottai and nearby villages, he said that the shop, once opened, would become a nuisance to the villagers.
“A large number of women use the road while going for farm or other work daily. They have expressed apprehension that it would be unsafe for them if the shop is opened,” he said.
A woman, requesting anonymity, said that opening of the shop would worsen the situation. “Already, my husband consumes liquor quite often from Tirumangalam or another shop from a nearby village. If they open a shop at Sivarakottai, it will become very convenient for people like him,” she said.
The residents said that they would be forced to intensify their protest if the proposal to open the shop was not given up.
They submitted a petition to Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao demanding his immediate intervention on the issue.
