Furthermore, the head of Tamil Nadu state, Vijay, has instructed the closure of 717 TASMAC liquor shops located in or near schools and temples, bus stations and other public locations in the state.
The ruling is known as "a large policy decision" by the new administration that could set the course for the whole of Tamil Nadu society. Residents, local parents, religious and social activists have grumbled about the placement of liquor outlets in large public areas that already faced backlash by government officials for being “out of the way” of their own plans.
Other accounts pointed out that the TASMAC shops, which were near educational establishments, religious institutions, and congested transport arteries, have been identified, and the administration then began closure proceedings.
The move, which is part of CM Vijay’s governing and social welfare agenda, aims to promote public safety and decrease the undesirable social impact of alcohol use. Many of the liquor outlets targeted by the officials were operating in areas where women, students, and commuters regularly congregate, officials said.
Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, also known as TASMAC, operates thousands of government-owned liquor stores across the state and ranks as one of the largest government sources of revenue. But the company has faced backlash repeatedly for siting liquor stores in residential and other high-traffic residential and public utility zones.
From administration sources, the district government instructed district officials to conduct thorough audits to ascertain any impeding sites in breach of distance laws as well as impeding the public. Since then, 717 outlets were shortlisted for closure, according to reports.
Contemporaneous disagreement over the verdict has run rampant in and outside the country. A range of residents and social organisations supported it, believing it could potentially help make certain schools safer in areas where neighbourhoods were busy; at minimum, it could at least reduce stress when a large area is the focus of these highly populated areas.
The government has taken some measures against the liquor shops in schools, which is especially praised by parents. Religious organisations and temple management committees have also been campaigning for the decision because in the area just next to worship places, liquor outlets often interfere with the life of the religious and damage their environment beyond the places of worship.
But some opposition leaders and trade analysts doubted the economics of the closures on the grounds that TASMAC is a source of income for Tamil Nadu. Critics have also charged that shutting down hundreds of outlets would stifle revenues for the state, unless a new formula is discovered for how to generate additional revenue.
This, at least, they argue, would only boost Vijay’s credentials as an advocate of social reform and for the everyday man. Vijay has gone through a series of bold and dramatic acts as chief minister during this time that none of his supporters would recognise. And, the shutdown would be phased, officials say, so that operations do not come unstuck.
Authorities may also be asked to check whether newly opened outlets comply with government guidelines in the near future. It has yet to declare whether more TASMAC stores will be affected in the months ahead. But new, stricter rules on the premises of liquor outlets are expected soon, the sources say. There is a stark shift in Tamil Nadu’s liquor strategy, and the ruling could be one of Vijay’s first steps in governance during the early years.
