Chennai: 500 Tasmac shops to be closed from today

Chennai: In line with an announcement made by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami, 500 Tasmac shops and 169 bars will be closed from Friday as a mark of respect to late chief minister J Jayalalithaa on her 69th birth anniversary. Deccan Chronicle was the first to report on February 21 that the 500 shops would be closed from Friday, immediately after Mr Palanisami announced the move on Monday.

The government decided to close down the shops from Friday since it feels it would be a fitting tribute to the late leader who had promised prohibition in phases during her May 2016 election campaign. The 500 shops that are to be closed down are located near temples, mosque, churches and educational institutions and in those areas where residents protested against the outlets, the sources said, adding none of these 500 shops are located on the highways.

“While 63 bars will be closed in Chennai region, the number is 20 in Madurai, 37 in Madurai, 26 in Salem and 23 in Trichy,” an official release from the government said. The statement said employees of these 500 shops would be rehabilitated. Sources said the government has rehabilitated nearly 2,000 employees who were working in the 500 Tasmac shops closed last year.

“While many have been transferred to other liquor shops which register good sales to reduce the burden on those already working, the remaining have posted at godowns and as members of the flying squad of the government,” the sources said. State-run Tasmac has monopoly over sales of liquor in Tamil Nadu and currently has nearly 6,000 outlets raking in revenue of Rs 28,000 crore per year.