CHENNAI: Despite the TVK government’s repeated assurances that the issue of liquor sales above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) at Tasmac outlets would be addressed, consumers across Tamil Nadu continue to complain of being charged extra amounts at several liquor shops. The markup ranges up to `40 per bottle.
The government recently initiated a crackdown on MRP violations, placing nearly 200 retail outlet employees under suspension for allegedly collecting amounts above the prescribed rates. Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh also inspected several Tasmac outlets and godowns, and directed employees to refrain from overcharging customers. However, complaints from consumers indicate that the practice of overcharging continues in many parts of the state.
A field visit by TNIE team to outlets in districts, including Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruppur, and Tenkasi, confirmed the MRP violations. Consumers whom TNIE spoke to said they were routinely asked to pay amounts above the printed price. At Alangulam in Tenkasi, customers alleged that all four Tasmac outlets in and around the town continue to charge `5 above the MRP. Consumers also complained about a private liquor outlet allegedly misusing its FL2 licence by collecting additional charges.
According to customers, the outlet charges `20 extra for bottles priced below `200, and `40 extra for bottles costing more than `200. Similar complaints were reported from Salem district. Consumers said that while a few outlets have stopped collecting excess charges following recent inspections, a majority of shops continue the practice.
S Prabakaran, a resident of Rayapuram in Tiruppur, said some outlet staff waive the extra charge only when customers question them by pointing out the MRP printed on the bottles. In certain cases, `10 is refunded after customers return the bottle. In Coimbatore too, the waiver of `10 per bottle comes at the cost of daily confrontations between staff and customers voicing objections against the violation, which has become a common sight.
K Thiruselvan, general secretary of the CITU, alleged that officials responsible for monitoring Tasmac operations have avoided accountability. He pointed out that deputy collectors and district managers have been appointed to oversee the functioning of outlets. However, no action has been taken against officials despite continued complaints of MRP violations.
A senior Tasmac official told TNIE that discussions have been held with the minister on the concerns raised by employees, including expenses related to rent, electricity, transport and damages.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore on Sunday, Minister K Vignesh said the government will introduce a separate law for Tasmac, insisting that liquor will be sold strictly at MRP, with the existing `10 refundable bottle deposit merged into the MRP to prevent it from being misused.
“If a bottle costs `140, the outlet collects `150. The extra `10 is returned on bottle buy-back. But we cannot monitor the `10 if the buyer does not return the bottle, and we cannot audit empty bottles,” he said.
Under the new initiative, the refundable `10 will not be handled separately. “The MRP will come to the government. The unclaimed extra amount will also go to the government treasury and will not be pocketed by private individuals. This brings all transactions, including the extra `10, into the government’s account,” he said.
“Efforts are on to bring about `1,000 crore/year that was being diverted to political parties from Tasmac back to government. Private bars also were paying party funds. That too has been stopped and will come to the government,” he added.
(Inputs from R Kirubakaran @ Coimbatore, Sneha Sivashanmugam @ Salem, P Thiruselvam @ Tiruchy, M Saravanan @ Coimbatore, Thinakaran Rajamani @ Tenkasi and P Srinivasan @ Tiruppur)