Women force building owner to say no to Tasmac outlet

Vellore: Nearly 300 workers, predominantly women, of leather and shoe factories in and around Venkatasamuthuram revenue village near Ambur have forced the owner of a building to refuse to rent his shop for a Tasmac outlet on Thursday.
The protestors have also written on the wall of the shop that the building would not be rented for Tasmac outlet (no 11251) and made the building owner Ellappan, a native of Thuthipattu village, to sign on the wall.
They have also asked him to write his phone number on the wall, besides mentioning that the decision was taken on behalf of the villagers.
The Tasmac officials, with the help of revenue officials identified and convinced Ellappan to rent his shop for shifting shop no 11251 from Ombarabad. It was one of the 178 outlets out of 231 outlets closed down in Vellore district following the Supreme Court order, directing to close down the bar and liquor shops within 500 metres from the outer edge of the National and State Highways.
“The revenue inspector and village administrative officers approached me a week ago and asked me to rent the building for a Tasmac outlet. I initially refused, fearing the wrath of the people, but they assured me that nothing will happen,” Ellappan told TOI.
However, workers from nearby tanneries, shoe factories and villagers strongly objected against the move.
“I don’t want to go against the wish of the people. It is not good for me when everyone is standing together. So, I decided against renting the building,” he added. Earlier, the workers staged a protest and also laid siege to an mini-van transporting Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) liquor cases to the building that located on Thuthipattu-Thandarampalli Road. Upon information, the police rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the women workers to withdraw the protest, but their efforts ended in vain.
After waiting for over an hour, the officials decided to leave the village with the stock. The incident created a flutter in the vicinity since afternoon.
According to the protestors, around 2,000 women were working in leather and tanneries in Thuthipattu, Venkatasamuthuram and surrounding areas. They use Thuthipattu - Kandarampalli Road to reach their work place. If the Tasmac outlet was opened, it would create unnecessary problems to the women workers.
Official of the Tasmac, Vellore division, said that they transported the stock to the village. Following strong protest from the villagers, they returned. He, however, said that they have not dropped the idea of opening the outlet there.