With Madurai city facing a complete COVID-19 lockdown since June 24, many are heading to suburban areas to buy liquor from TASMAC outlets, in the process causing nuisance to local villagers.
Serpentine queues are seen at the TASMAC outlets in Alanganallur and Tiruvathavur as people running out of Indian-made foreign liquor find ways to reach them.
“Not just two-wheelers, but even cars from Madurai city are coming to Alanganallur to buy liquor and are creating lot of confusion on the roads,” said a youth, who did not want to be identified.
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Three TASMAC shops are functional in Alanganallur and the roads leading to them at Gatekadai are a constant witness to haphazardly parked vehicles.
“Most youth come riding as triples on bikes, while under lockdown rules only one person is allowed. And the worst part is they are racing towards the shop so as to be the first ones in the queue at the TASMAC shops at Tiruvathavur,” said President of Idayapatti panchayat, S.B.K. Krishna Sivaji. The vehicles that go through Othakadai reach Tiruvathavur through Idayapatti.
“Right from early morning to late night, we see vehicles zooming past. The villagers, especially the aged, fear to cross the road because of the tipplers,” he said.
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Both complained that the youth, after buying liquor, park their vehicles on the road and start drinking in the open on farm lands.
“Since they come in big groups, we are apprehensive about their behaviour in an inebriated state. Most of them are neither wearing masks nor following physical distancing norms,” people rued.
“The situation on the stretch of road between Tiruvathavur and Pudu Thamaraipatti has become so bad that women had to stage a protest seeking closure of the TASMAC shop a few days back,” Mr. Sivaji said.
He added that the sale at the Tiruvathavur TASMAC shop has increased 10 times in comparison to the pre lockdown times.
“Instead of implementing lockdown only in the city, the administration should have done it in entire Madurai district and closed down TASMAC shops,” said Mr. Sivaji.
Madurai Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan said that efforts would be taken to lessen the movement of people from the city to rural areas.