CHENNAI: Facing stiff opposition from liquor outlet staff, particularly in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) is exploring the possibility of implementing the bottle buy-back scheme through private agencies.
Under the scheme, which was introduced following a Madras High Court directive to curb littering and reduce environmental pollution, consumers are charged an additional Rs 10 per bottle, which is refunded when the empty bottle is returned to the same outlet.
The Excise Department has also rolled out a digital platform to monitor the scheme by tracking empty bottles using QR codes.
However, salespersons at several liquor outlets in Chennai have refused to implement the scheme, citing operational difficulties. They said the additional responsibility of collecting empty bottles would create severe pressure during peak hours, between 7 pm and 10 pm, especially due to storage space constraints.
A senior official said the management had received multiple representations from protesting employees seeking either the deployment of additional staff for bottle collection or the outsourcing of the scheme to private agencies.
Following this, the corporation is identifying high-footfall outlets in major cities, including Chennai, where peak-hour congestion makes it difficult to implement the scheme. “A decision will be taken whether to outsource the scheme by engaging private partners, who will set up storage facilities and provide staff to track the empty bottles,” the official said.
He added that identifying suitable storage units near liquor outlets in cities posed a challenge, but said logistical issues would be addressed soon to ensure compliance with the High Court order.
Tamil Nadu Tasmac Employees’ Association general secretary D Dhanasekaran said the authorities had assured to address the staff’s concerns. “However, no concrete action has been taken so far,” he said.