Tasmac bar owners’ association protests closure of liquor shops, says officials didn’t conduct proper study

Chennai: Tasmac bar owners association on Friday protested in front of the Tasmac headquarters, claiming that officials have arbitrarily chosen liquor shops to be closed in a hurried manner, without conducting a proper study. The association's president, Anbuselvan, told reporters that the liquor shops are currently functioning in line with the existing rules — liquor vending outlets should not be present within 50m radius of schools and places of worship in municipal corporations and municipalities, and 100m in other areas. "The chief minister announced that shops within 500m of schools, temples and bus stands should be closed, but the officers, instead of apprising the chief minister of the existing rules, hurriedly prepared a list without consulting the Tasmac bar owners," he said.Anbuselvan added that the association would support total prohibition even, if it is done in a systemic manner. "At least 100 people work at each bar. Closing the bars without giving them adequate time and alternative employment opportunities will result in huge financial loss for the owners, leaving the workers without a job," he said. The association later met Tasmac managing director K Nanthakumar and submitted their representation.On chief minister C Joseph Vijay's orders, authorities are shutting down 717 Tasmac liquor outlets located within 500m of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands across the state within two weeks. Officials carried out a statewide inspection and found that 276 liquor shops were situated near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 close to bus stands.