Implementation of buyback scheme for liquor bottles commenced in Kodaikanal in Dindigul district on Wednesday, according to an official statement from the district administration.
The initiative, as directed by the Madras High Court, was introduced in The Nilgiris district and extended to cover all Tasmac shops operating in various hill stations, including Kodaikanal, to prevent accumulation of discarded liquor bottles along roads, in agricultural lands, forest areas and tourist spots.
There are nine retail Tasmac outlets within Kodaikanal taluk, including the ones on Kodaikanal hill, at Pannaikadu and Mannavanur, and the one at Adalur in Dindigul West taluk, under the purview of the municipal administration, stated the release.
An extra amount of ₹10 above the maximum retail price would be collected from customers for every liquor bottle sold in the shops in the hill station. When the customers returned the empty bottles to the shop, the collected extra money would be refunded to them, the statement said.
According to official sources, around 30% of the bottles sold were returned under the scheme on the first day of its implementation on Wednesday on the hills.
According to Collector S. Visakan, the scheme would cover only the 10 Tasmac outlets.
K.V. Mahendran, a social activist in Kodaikanal, welcomed the initiative but said there were practical difficulties in implementing the scheme.
“This can result in an increased profit for Tasmac shops as not many consumers — a majority of them are tourists — would take the pains to return the empty bottles at the same shops where they bought liquor to get the refund,” he said.
