COIMBATORE: With liquor outlets and bars shut on Sundays in Kerala since October 6 as part of a new liquor policy, people from bordering districts of the neighbouring state are finding solace in the State-run TASMAC liquor outlets in Tamil Nadu.
TASMAC employees working with outlets close to Kerala say that there has been an increase in the number of customers from Kerala since the new liquor policy was introduced there.
The steady increase in the number of tipplers from Kerala was reported from October 6 which was the first ‘dry Sunday’
in the neighbouring state. An official with the TASMAC said that the liquor stock has been doubled in outlets located in Coimbatore, along the Kerala border seeing the flow of customers from Kerala on October 6.
Currently, the TASMAC is operating 22 TASMAC outlets in the Kerala borders of Coimbatore district alone which shares boundary with Palakkad district.
This includes three outlets on the Pollachi-Meenakshipuram Road, three outlets in Gopalapuram-Pollachi Road and two outlets on Velanthavalam-K G Chavadi Road among others. TASMAC is currently operating over 300 liquor outlets in Coimbatore district. Officials also hinted that the number of outlets is likely to be increased in such places eying more sales.
Sources added that the TASMAC has plans to open more than 10 new outlets in the border areas. In Anaikatti alone, which shares boundary with Attappadi of Kerala, TASMAC has recently opened two new outlets. Attappadi is one of the largest tribal settlements of Kerala where the state had implemented a liquor ban following hooch tragedies in the past.