Tasmac suspends 245 supervisors as workers strike over bottle return scheme
The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation issued show-cause notices to 1,729 employees following widespread liquor outlet closures.
Employees of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) held a strike on November 1 and November 2, leading to the closure of more than 650 liquor outlets across several districts. According to reports from Business Standard and Urban Acres, the corporation responded by suspending 245 retail shop supervisors and issuing show-cause notices to 1,729 employees for allegedly closing shops without permission.
The agitation concerns a revised bottle-return mechanism introduced on November 1. Under this scheme, a ₹10 environmental cess is included in the maximum retail price (MRP) of liquor bottles, which customers can recover by returning empty bottles to any Tasmac outlet. The Madras High Court had previously directed the implementation of this mechanism to manage bottle disposal and reduce pollution.
Workers are protesting the scheme, citing increased workloads, inadequate handheld scanning devices, and a lack of storage space for empty bottles. Some employees also raised concerns regarding the absence of basic facilities, such as toilets, at various outlets. Employee unions stated that the protest will continue until the government holds discussions to address their grievances.
Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh defended the mechanism, stating it aims to improve transparency and prevent irregularities in refunds. The minister warned that the government would not tolerate unauthorised closures and would deploy alternative staff to maintain operations.
The disciplinary actions were spread across multiple regions. The Madurai region saw 475 notices, followed by Salem with 459, Tiruchy with 418, Chennai with 341, and Coimbatore with 36, according to news agency PTI.