VELLORE: For the 2,000 families living amid a multitude of Tasmac outlets at Kagithapattarai in Vellore, life has become one unending nightmare.
The 28th ward spread across 20 streets has six liquor outlets within a radius of one km. Of the six Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (Tasmac) outlets at Kagithapattarai, one shop is located near a movie theatre on Kagithapattarai Road, two within 500 metres, two more within 800 metres, and one shop is located among houses on a street in LIC Colony. Muthu Nagar, LIC Colony, and Sarathy Nagar are among the primary localities of the ward. “After 6pm, it is difficult to come out of the house as the streets are taken over by tipplers. We mostly keep our windows and doors closed all the time to save ourselves from unwanted trouble,” a resident said.
There is a factory near Kagigathpatrai where several residents work as labourers and their shifts typically end by 7pm. But the workers fear for their lives while they use the road due to trouble from tipplers. “I live in Muthu Nagar. I finish my work by 6.30pm. A few days back, while returning home from work, a drunkard tried to harass me but I managed to escape. This is a trouble we have to suffer every day,” said a woman resident.
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“Most of the drunkards fall asleep in front of the houses. They sometimes urinate and vomit in front of homes. They dump empty liquor bottles too. We have to be careful while stepping out, else broken glass bottles may damage our feet,” an elderly resident said. Due to the presence of six Tasmacs in close proximity, consumers from across the city flock to Kagithapattarai to buy alcohol.
After 7 pm, the streets are flooded with people who crowd near these shops to buy alcohol. “Sometimes, they throw the bottles at streetlights and damage them and the streets turn dark,” another resident said.
Sources said Kagithapattarai earlier had seven Tasmac outlets but after Madras High Court ordered closing of Tasmac outlets near national highways, one shop was relocated from the ward. Officials designated a road in the locality as corporation road and retained the remaining six Tasmac outlets in the ward.
“A few days ago, a drunkard from one of the Tasmac outlets located just 120 metres from my house, snatched my wife’s chain and sold it to buy alcohol. We filed a plaint at the north police station,” a distressed resident told TNIE.
Not just jewels, the drunkards also steal bicycles and motorbikes to sell them and buy alcohol, the resident said. “We have primary health centres, ration shops and corporation schools in our area. Sometimes the drunkards vomit on the pathways, making life miserable for road users and students. Also, they are a bad influence on students,” a resident said.
“We petitioned the previous collector, but no action was taken. At least reducing the number of outlets would give us some relief,” the locals said. When TNIE contacted local councillor Mamatha Kumar, she said.
Police said, because of the liquor vends, a minimum of 10 to 20 public nuisance cases are being registered every day. “Police give us protection at night, but once they leave the spot, the drunkards return and create trouble,” a resident said. When TNIE contacted Vellore Collector V R Subbulaxmi, she said, “I will take necessary action to end the public nuisance caused by drunkards.”