PIL seeking stern action against Tasmac bars filed in HC

CHENNAI: In the wake of a number of deaths due to the consumption of spurious liquor in the State, a Public Interest Litigation plea has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a stern action against Tasmac bars.

R Boomiraj from Coimbatore filed a Public Interest Litigation on Wednesday seeking a direction to crack down on bars attached to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) liquor shops and to prevent the sale of spurious liquor.

"Many human lives were lost in Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Thanjavur districts after the consumption of liquor. More than 20 lives have gone after the consumption of spurious liquor in Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts. Cyanide poisoning has been suspected in the deaths of two individuals who had consumed liquor purchased from the Tasmac shops in Thanjavur. In order to prevent further deaths, a direction be issued to the Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) to inspect all Tasmac retail liquor shops and other areas and seize spurious liquor bottles and take stern action against the violators. Therefore, the sale of liquor in all Tasmac shops across the state should be banned until the disposal of the petition," he stated in the plea.

The petition is expected to be listed for hearing before the summer vacation bench comprising Justices B Pugalenthi and V Lakshminarayanan on Thursday.