HC raps Tasmac: No licence to collect extra money from tipplers

Chennai: Madras high court on Friday warned that its order permitting Tasmac to collect Rs 10 for returning empty liquor bottles should not be considered as a license for charging extra amount from buyers.

“It shall be part of the bill and be given back when empty bottles are returned. The additional Rs 10 was allowed to be collected to incentivise returning of empty bottles, but it has been misconceived as a license to demand additional amount over the MRP,” a special bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said.

When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, the Tamil Nady govt informed the court that it is planning for a complete revamp of empty liquor bottle buyback scheme and is exploring ways not to use Tasmac staff for collecting empty bottles. The govt has zero tolerance towards corruption, it added.

Recording the submissions, the bench directed Tasmac to file a progress report in four weeks and adjourned the hearing after eight weeks.

On March 13, the court gave a final cut-off date until May 31 to fully implement the empty liquor bottle buy-back scheme in all Tasmac shops across the state. The scheme was brought in by the state govt in view of orders passed by the court to control damage caused by empty liquor bottles that were littered in public spaces, particularly in areas near forests.

So far, the scheme has been fully implemented in 28 districts. A tender was floated to affix QR codes on liquor bottles. Once the process is completed, collection of empty bottles would not impose an additional burden on employees, the govt said.