TIRUPATTUR: Liquor in Tasmac outlets costing more than the maximum retail price resulted in 38 of the 40 retail outlets suffering losses in Tirupattur district as locals not wanting to spend more switched over to illicit arrack, sources revealed.
A group of about 50 youth from Pachal village near Tirupattur petitioned Collector D Baskara Pandian at the grievances day meet on April 17 that arrack and other state liquor was being sold in their village by 3 with police help.
The Collector asked the Assistant Commissioner (excise) to verify and when this was proved to be true, police arrested Rasathi, Vaitheeswari and Raja of Pachal village. Subsequent raids resulted in 143 cases being registered, 3,414 litres illicit arrack, 3,597 Karnataka liquor bottles, 18.30 kg ganja and 3 two wheelers being seized between April 1 and May 5.
Meanwhile, Baskara Pandian who called for Tasmac retail sales details was shocked to find that of the 40 shops in the district, 38 were running at a loss between January 1, 2022 and March 28, 2023. Both AC Excise Banu and Tasmac district manager Poonkodi were then tasked with fixing it.
What came in handy was the garbage collection and anti-plastic use drive as both officials found that certain locations had a very high number of used arrack sachets.
Police action followed and needless to say this soon resulted in Tasmac outlets showing increased sales numbering 26 while 14 still had reduced sales.
“If not for this timely action, locals might have gone in for cheap arrack and we might have had another arrack related tragedy on our hands. This has now been prevented and efforts are on to maintain the momentum,” Collector Baskara Pandian said.
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