Come up with a scheme to buy back liquor bottles in hill stations: HC to TASMAC

The Madras high court has said it would be constrained to ban Tasmac liquor shops in hill stations if the corporation fails to come up with a scheme to buy back used liquor bottles deserted in hill stations causing grave threat to environment and wild animals.

“You (state government) are more sensitive towards the Tasmac than conserving forests,” a division bench of Justice V Bharathidasan and Justice N Sathish Kumar said.

The court made the observation after the judges were informed that Tasmac is sitting over a proposal sent by the Nilgiris district collector in 2020 to come up with a buy- back scheme for used liquor bottles.
“Come up with a scheme for buy-back by April 25 or we will be left with no other option but to order closure of all Tasmac shops in hill stations,” the bench said.

The managing director of Tasmac L Subramanian, who was virtually present in the court, submitted that such a scheme could not be implemented due to practical difficulties.