TASMAC liquor outlets remain shut in Tiruchi district on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Employees of Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) on Tuesday shut liquor retail outlets across Tiruchi district as part of a protest against the proposed bottle buyback scheme under which customers would return empty liquor bottles and receive a refund of ₹10 per bottle.The protest was organised by trade unions representing Tasmac employees, who alleged that the scheme would impose additional responsibilities on workers and create operational difficulties at retail outlets. The employees have already announced plans to launch an indefinite shop closure agitation from June 1 if the scheme is not withdrawn.As part of the agitation, workers reportedly closed all 156 Tasmac outlets across Tiruchi district on Tuesday and staged demonstrations demanding that the government drop the proposal. Tasmac employees contended that handling the return, storage and collection of empty liquor bottles would increase workload at retail shops and lead to practical difficulties in day-to-day operations.Earlier, Tasmac employees in districtsm including Erode, Tiruppur, Salem and Namakkalm had also staged protests and shop closure agitations opposing the bottle buyback scheme. Published - May 27, 2026 08:02 pm IST
