CHENNAI: Political parties, trade unions and activists welcomed Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s day-one announcement on closure of TASMAC shops, reducing business hours by two hours daily and waiver of crop loan for farmers.
However, PMK founder leader S Ramadoss suggested that rather than closing the shops from 10 am to 12 noon, the government should come forward to close them for two hours between 5 pm and 10 pm when the liquor sale is at its peak. The PMK founder also requested the government to release its action plan on phasing out liquor sale and implement complete prohibition by year end.
TASMAC workers registered with the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), who have been insisting on prohibition since October 2014, have requested the government to provide alternative jobs to employees of the 500 TASMAC shops to be closed based on their educational qualification in government sector.
Welcoming the government’s decision, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State general secretary G Ramakrishnan said that this attempt by the AIADMK to fulfill its promise shouldn’t become just a ritual and should rather continue working towards bringing total prohibition in the State to rid the residents of the liquor menace.
Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, a movement which has been fighting against State-run liquor sales, has requested the government to announce that no more new TASMAC shops would be opened in the State and demanded that strict action be taken against violators.
Rather than closing the shops from 10 am to 12 noon, the government should come forward to close them for two hours between 5 pm and 10 pm when the liquor sale is at its peak S Ramadoss, PMK chief