As of September this financial year, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has relocated 21 of its outlets from residential areas of Chennai and its neighbouring districts due to objections from the public. Yet, protests continue across the city as residents are unhappy with the proximity of liquor shops to schools, residential areas and places of worship.
There are around 6,800 Tasmac shops in the State of which close to 800 are located in Chennai and its suburbs. In the last two years, TASMAC has relocated around 170 shops in the State.
But residents of several areas said a number of Tasmac outlets are situated in the midst of thickly-populated residential areas including at Ambattur, Ayanavaram, Koyambedu, K.K. Nagar, Kodungaiyur, Tondiarpet, Villivakkam and Tambaram.
Konnur High Road in Ayanavaram has four shops that are in the vicinity of residential areas.
“It is extremely difficult to walk on the road as there is a liquor shop just a few metres away from Noor Hotel bus stop. Men consume liquor and stand on the road in groups. There is a school in the vicinity and children face problems in crossing the stretch,” said M. Indhumathi, a resident of Ayanavaram.
In Koyambedu, residents of several neighbouring areas hesitate to use the ‘A’ Road near the wholesale market complex. Once again, there are four Tasmac shops on the stretch. Residents and traders alleged the shops closed by 10 p.m. but liquor was being sold inside the market particularly, in the fruit market.
R. Murugan, a resident of Koyambedu, said the shops are located near Semathamman Nagar First and Second Sectors and Bharathiyar Nagar and residents, especially women hesitate to use the stretch. Traders said that the property belonged to the market and attempts to evict the shops have failed.
At Chinmaya Nagar in Koyambedu, people bought liquor from the nearby outlet and disposed the empty bottles on the road.
“Tasmac tends to open shops at places where people congregate. Meenambal Salai in Kodungaiyur is one such busy area and has nearly 5 to 6 shops,” said N.S. Ramachandra Rao, president of Ever Vigilant Citizens Welfare Association, Krishnamurthy Nagar.
Children often have to walk past shops to reach their schools at Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Nesapakkam and MGR Nagar, Sundaram Pillai Nagar near Tondiarpet, Madipakkam and Keelakattalai, and are often scared to use the stretch as drunken brawls are common.
At Gowrivakkam and Vanuvampettai, the outlets are next to bus stops and places of worship.
In Ambattur too, people have been protesting against opening of a Tasmac shop in Varadharajapuram for over a year now as the proposed location is close to the railway station and market.
Haphazard parking of vehicles outside the outlets is a nuisance at several areas like Mounasamy Madam Street, Ambattur.
There are around 400 Tasmac outlets in Kancheepuram district and 80 of them are concentrated in the city’s southern suburbs around Alandur, Pallavaram, Madipakkam and Tambaram. People have protested against opening of new outlets and functioning of existing ones at Kovilambakkam, Irumbuliyur and Chromepet.
“Following the Centre’s notification to remove shops along National Highways, those on GST Road were removed but were relocated along Pallavaram – Thoraipakkam Radial Road leading to new problems,” said T. Mahesh, a resident of Hasthinapuram, Chromepet.
K. Thiruselvan, general secretary of Tasmac Uzhiyar Maanila Sammelanam, said the outlets should be located at least 100 meters away from schools and places of worship but this was not followed. “For instance, the shop is located next to a ration shop at Mylapore,” he said.
Staff at the Kancheepuram district unit of Tasmac said the locations were chosen only after a thorough inspection of the spot and clearance from government agencies, including revenue and police. An official said they followed all norms while selecting places and avoided sites located close to schools and places of worships.
The shops have been relocated because of public objection though there was no violation of rules, officials said.
(With inputs from K. Lakshmi, K. Manikandan, Serena Josephine M. and Petlee Peter)
