Chennai: With just four days left before the TVK govt’s May 26 deadline to shut 717 Tasmac outlets located within 500m of temples, schools and bus stands, prohibition and excise minister K Vignesh on Saturday directed Tasmac officials to speed up the closure of the remaining 281 outlets and to step up enforcement against illicit liquor and spurious alcohol across the state.Chairing two separate review meetings at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation headquarters, Vignesh reviewed the implementation of the govt’s liquor control measures. On May 11, soon after chief minister C Joseph Vijay took office, he signed a GO directing the closure of the 717 outlets, acting on pre-election promises to regulate alcohol consumption and move toward a drug-free state, even as the move is expected to pose immediate revenue challenges.In a statement issued after the meeting, the department said 436 retail liquor outlets and their bars have been closed. Vignesh asked officials to ensure the remaining outlets and bars are shut quickly and that employees from closed shops are redeployed to nearby outlets, so their livelihoods are protected. All Tasmac outlets and attached bars must close by 10pm, he said, warning that strict action would be taken against staff selling liquor above the maximum retail price.At a separate review of the prohibition and excise department, attended by prohibition commissioner S P Karthikaa and other senior officials, the minister asked district-level officers to intensify checks on illicit liquor brewing, transport and sale. He told officials to conduct regular field inspections to ensure recreational clubs with FL2 licences follow rules and directed excise supervisory officers to see that liquor manufacturing units comply with all regulations.
