Tamil Nadu CM Vijay orders closure of 717 TASMAC liquor shops near temples, schools, bus stands

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday directed authorities to shut down 717 TASMAC liquor outlets located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands across the state within the next two weeks.According to the state government, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) currently runs 4,765 retail liquor shops across Tamil Nadu.Following instructions from the chief minister, officials carried out a statewide inspection to identify outlets operating close to temples, schools, colleges and bus termini.The survey found that 276 liquor shops were situated near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 close to bus stands, taking the total number of outlets marked for closure to 717.Officials said the move is aimed at ensuring stricter regulation of liquor outlets and addressing public concerns over the proximity of TASMAC shops to sensitive public spaces.