Madurai Tasmac employees seek alternative jobs; Mayiladuthurai staff close 43 shops in protest

Madurai/Trichy: While welcoming TVK govt's decision to close Tasmac outlets within a 500m radius of worship sites, educational institutions and bus stations, CITU Tasmac Employees Union also sought action on a set of demands including alternative employment for staff affected by shop closures. In Mayiladuthurai district on Tuesday, employees shut down all 43 Tasmac liquor shops in protest after police registered a case against two staff members for allegedly collecting an extra Rs 10 per bottle. CITU union's president D Sivakumar submitted a representation to Madurai district collector K J Praveen Kumar regarding the demands on Tuesday."The administration has been taking steps to permanently close 38 liquor stores in Madurai south district and 13 in Madurai north district. In Madurai south, 13 of the 38 stores were closed already, making 17 supervisors, 42 salespeople and five assistant salespeople lose their jobs. Employees from temporarily closed stores due to various administrative reasons, including 17 supervisors, 22 salespeople and one assistant salesperson, were also impacted. In Madurai north, three of the 13 shops were closed, affecting six supervisors and seven salespeople," Sivakumar said.He sought jobs for employees who lost their livelihood in other govt departments based on their educational qualifications. He also sought action to close private FL2 bars operating within a 500m radius of public institutions. He requested the administration to bear the costs of loading, unloading and transportation for transferring stock from permanently closed liquor stores to warehouses.In Mayiladuthurai, a TVK functionary lodged a police complaint alleging that staff at a Tasmac shop near Sattanathapuram in Sirkazhi were collecting Rs 10 extra per bottle. Based on the complaint, police registered a case against shop supervisor Kamaraj and salesman Babu.Condemning the police action without any departmental inquiry, Tasmac workers boycotted their duties. More than a hundred employees signed and submitted a petition at the Mayiladuthurai collectorate. They said they can sell liquor at the maximum retail price and sought police protection for shops and withdrawal of cases registered against the two employees. Other demands include the immediate appointment of four additional staff for shops with high turnover, the administration's support to pay the rent to building owners for the shops and the appointment of workers for collecting empty bottles with proper wages.