Rules no bar: Liquor sold 24x7 in Trichy

Trichy: Schools are yet to hear their first bell, and shops haven't rolled up their shutters, but bars attached to liquor shops in Trichy are wide awake as early as 7.30am, though rules mandate they can open only at 12 noon. Some of these virtually operate round the clock with no regard for dry days as well.At Puthur Four road, students heading to institutions on either side of the junction walk past the sharp stench of urine, empty liquor bottles and men sprawled across the pavement. A nearby photocopy shop owner says his workday often begins with clearing drunk men from his doorstep. When TOI visited the Puthur spot some weeks ago around 9am, the bar was open while a police jeep stood a few metres away. When questioned, officials said with a smile that the location did not fall under their jurisdictionAround 7.30am on Wednesday, a verbal scuffle was underway outside the Tasmac bar in Dheeran Nagar. A staff member of the adjoining bakery said the morning's first few customers are perturbed by such disturbances. "But, fortunately or unfortunately, some tipplers also buy snacks from us," he added. Over the past week, TOI found that such instances are not isolated. At several locations in the city, liquor is sold in the black market either before opening hours or after closing time. Near the assistant commissioner's office at Cantonment, sales were allegedly carried out clandestinely at night, with a middleman stationed opposite Tamil Nadu Hotel coordinating purchases. In Dheeran Nagar and Puthur Four Road, tipplers were seen sitting inside outlets and consuming liquor in the morning. Some of these outlets operate in the heart of the city — near police outposts, close to schools and along highways. "I have raised this issue with several collectors, commissioners and other officials, but everyone has turned a blind eye," says M Mahendran, who runs a shop next to the Tasmac bar in Puthur and submitted a petition on Monday. He says even if CCTVs are installed, they get damaged. "Earlier, they would at least keep the shutters down and sell only to regulars. But for the past eight months, it has been done openly," he said."I used to worry about stray dogs. Now I worry about drunk men. Recently, one of them hit me with his vehicle in front of the shop," said K Krishnamoorthy, 63, from Karumandapam. A Tasmac staff member in Dheeran Nagar bar alleged that some residents from Ramji Nagar purchase liquor in bulk and resell it from their homes even on dry days. "It is already risky for bars to operate along highways. Operating illegally beyond permitted hours only adds to the problem of drunken driving," said Ayyarappan P, a road safety activist. A Tasmac official said action is taken whenever complaints are received. "It's election time and this is a hot button issue. So, I would not like to comment further", he said. After photos and information were shared with him, a senior district official of Tasmac told TOI they will crack down on the issue.