Closing down all Tasmac shops immediately will have drastic effect: Minister Muthusamy

Minister Muthusamy discusses cautious approach to closing Tasmac shops, plans to reduce shops gradually to combat alcoholism.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is not interested in running Tasmac shops and closing down the shops immediately will have drastic effects. Hence, the State government is approaching the issue carefully, said Minister for Housing and Urban Development S. Muthusamy here on Thursday.

Addressing mediapersons after flagging off five new Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses at the Corporation’s Central Bus Terminal in Erode, the Minister, who also holds the portfolios of excise, prohibition and molasses, said Mr. Stalin’s intention is to close down Tasmac shops one day. “But everyone knows what will happen if this is done immediately and therefore the government’s aim is to approach the difficult situation with caution.” The Minister expressed confidence that over a period of time, steps will be taken to reduce the number of Tasmac shops to bring people out of alcoholism.

To a question whether Tasmac shops would be reduced before the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s conference on elimination of liquor scheduled for October 2 at Kallakurichi, the Minister said action can be taken based only on the situation. “The VCK is holding a conference for taking a policy decision. There is no fault in it. Also, they are not holding the conference against the government nor Mr. Stalin,” he said.

The Minister said there is nothing wrong in the VCK inviting AIADMK for the conference and said they have invited the opposition party. “Giving an invitation to a wedding does not mean that everyone is together,” he said.

The new buses will be operated on the Coimbatore – Sathyamangalam – Dhimbam – Mysuru route (one bus), Erode – Coimbatore non-stop (two buses), and Coimbatore – Salem point-to-point (two buses). The cost of a bus is ₹44 lakh while the total cost of five buses is ₹2.20 crore.

Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, Erode MP K.E. Prakash, Mayor S. Nagarathinam, Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj, Corporation Commissioner Narnaware Manish Shankarrao, district panchayat president K. Navamani, and officials were present.