RANIPET: Students, farm workers, and the public of Nayakkan Palayam on Monday staged a protest demanding the Tasmac outlet near the Ozhugur Government Higher Secondary School be shut, as it has been the source of public nuisance for the last three years in Ranipet.
According to residents, Tasmac shop No. 11012 in Thalangai village in Sholinghur Taluk is located about two-and-a-half kilometres from the government school.
Though the state has ordered the closure of 717 state-run liquor shops operating within 500 metres of educational institutions, instances like this have fueled public anxiety, as many children, of around 500 who attend the government school, have to pass the Tasmac outlet to reach their classes, residents said. For the past two years, intoxicated persons have allegedly repeatedly attempted to misbehave with girls and women who work in the surrounding farmland.
Advocate Diwakar, a resident of Nayakkan Palayam, said there are instances where drunk men lie on the street without clothes. "These anti-social elements have tried to behave inappropriately so many times with the girl students and the ladies; such behaviour has become a daily affair. People don’t even go near that area after 6pm, and on Sundays, we fear going there," he said.
The bushes next to the Tasmac are filled with used plastic cups, glass bottles, and plastic wrappers. Despite multiple petitions and complaints from residents, officials have yet to take any action.
Students and residents are calling for the complete removal of the Tasmac near the school and adjacent to the farm.
They are urging immediate intervention due to the direct impact on the safety of women and children.
Ranipet Tasmac Assistant Manager told the TNIE that after consulting higher officials, necessary actions will be taken to find an alternative location for the shop.
