CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has warned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) of imposing a fine of Rs 10 per bottle under the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ if it fails to implement the empty liquor bottle buyback scheme in all the districts before May 31, 2026.
A special bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy on Friday passed the order while hearing cases relating to forests and environmental issues. It expressed displeasure over the delay in expanding the scheme, which has been implemented in 29 districts so far, to the remaining districts.
Referring to the submission of Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran that the expansion of the scheme faced difficulties due to the objections raised by the employees and time taken for enforcing the QR Code system, the bench said the very same reason was placed on record even on the last occasion.
“The Tasmac is selling more than 2 crore bottles of liquor per day and that is causing untold and unbearable burden on the environment. The selling of liquor is res extra commercium as per the order of the Supreme Court. Between the res extra commercium (activities outside the realm of commerce) and the environmental damage, the court will naturally prefer to save the environment.
“Therefore, one last opportunity, as prayed for, will be given. If the scheme is not fully implemented within the time frame, then on the basis of the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’, Rs 10 for every bottle sold shall be paid,” the bench said in the order, setting a deadline of May 31 for full implementation of the scheme.
Warning on water bottles
Meanwhile, the bench refused to modify its earlier order to the centre and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ensure affixing a warning label on PET bottles and plastic packaging for salt and sugar on the presence of micro and nano plastics.
Senior standing counsel for the centre V Chandrasekharan requested the bench to modify its order on the warning label till an expert committee looks into it and suggests steps for addressing the issue by curtailing use of plastics for packaging water, salt and sugar.