CHENNAI: Expressing concern over how discarded and broken liquor bottles harm animals and environment, the Madras High Court on Monday warned Tasmac outlets may have to be shut in hill stations if a scheme on dealing with empty bottles is not framed in a week.
A division bench of Justices V Bharathidasan and N Sathish Kumar said this while hearing petitions on environmental issues in forests and hill stations, and wanted TN to launch a “buy back” scheme for bottles.
“A buy back scheme is better suitable for dealing with this. Tasmac can collect Rs 10 above the retail price and the same amount shall be paid back if the empty bottle is returned by the buyer. Only such a scheme will serve as a lasting solution to deal with the problem in hill stations,” the bench suggested, and added: “We will have to order the closure of liquor retail outlets in hill stations if a decision is not taken by April 25.”
Meanwhile, the bench directed the Central government to file a reply as to why labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) could not be utilised for the drive to remove invasive weeds and exotic plant species. It told the government to file its reply on April 19. The Tamil Nadu Rural Development department has filed an impleadment petition on this before the bench.
‘Proposal submitted 2 years ago’
Tasmac opposed the price hike idea, stating customers will not travel back to return the bottles. However, Nilgiris Collector said a proposal for a similar scheme was sent to TASMAC two years ago but it wasn’t considered