Chennai: From Nov 1, Tasmac salesmen should not collect above MRP citing the empty bottle collection scheme, as the corporation has officially increased the MRP of all liquor varieties by ₹10 (environmental cess).Customers can get the money back by returning empty liquor bottles. Tasmac has warned of serious action if any “unauthorised” money is collected above the MRP.A detailed circular has been sent to all liquor manufacturers, Tasmac depots, district managers and personnel working at retail shops on how to implement the new system. Tasmac will launch empty liquor bottle collection in three Tasmac districts in Chennai, and five other districts, where the retail workforce had earlier opposed the implementation.Under the new system, staff should accept empty liquor bottles and reimburse ₹10. Tasmac officials in all five regions should hold talks with the banks where the official accounts are maintained to ensure the availability of ₹10 notes and coins. Personnel at each outlet should collect the empty bottles and surrender them to approved vendors until a reverse vendor for empty bottles is finalised through a tender process.Excise minister K Vignesh on Friday said the previous practice of collecting ₹10 above MRP has now been standardised. Consumers will pay the same extra price for each bottle. “The empty bottle collection involves around ₹300 crore per month. Although the previous govt claimed 99% of empty liquor bottles were returned to Tasmac, our study of three shops found that only 60% of empty bottles were returned, meaning only ₹180 crore was reimbursed. But there was no account for the remaining ₹120 crore. By adding the sum to the MRP, we will ensure that the money reaches the exchequer. Whatever sum remains after reimbursement will be used for betterment of the environment,” he said.However, D Dhanasekaran, general secretary of AITUC-attached Tasmac workers association, said this system cannot be implemented on such short notice. “It could have been implemented after the reverse vendor of empty bottles is finalised, so that the workers will not be burdened with additional work. ₹2,000 per day will not be enough as we have to meet the expenditure of additional manpower and rent for the premises to store bottles,” he said.
