TASMAC bar owners protest hike in licence fee

A bar owner, on conditions of anonymity, said, “Nowadays, a lot of people are buying liquor from TASMAC shops but are drinking at their homes or other places. The number of people coming to the bars has reduced. Usually, the licence fee of the bar is calculated based on the sales of the TASMAC shop attached to it. But now, with reduced patronage, this will hurt bar owners.

That is why the bar owners have been protesting. Now, with RK Nagar byelections, the bars have been allowed to function at the old rate. After the elections, the tendering will begin for running the bars and this will again become an issue. We have met the Dy CM and TASMAC MD and given our representation.”

While the single judge of the Madras HC upheld the TASMAC’s licencing fee upgrade,

the bar owners have gone on an appeal, which is said to be heard by a divisional bench soon. Dhanasekaran, general secretary, TASMAC Employees Union (affiliated to AITUC), said the bars should be separated from the shops, like in Kerala.