Implement liquor bottle buy-back scheme in Kovai, Perambalur: HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to implement the liquor bottle buy-back scheme on a trial basis in Coimbatore and Perambalur districts within two months from November 15.

A special division bench for forest protection in the State comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the directions on hearing a batch of petitions regarding wildlife and forest protection.

During the last hearing, the bench asked the government to respond in its direction to implement the scheme as it was implemented in the hilly regions of Tamil Nadu.

Responding to the court’s advice, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran informed the HC that the Corporation wants to implement it first in any one of the districts in the State on a trial basis. The AAG noted that based on the response from the public in that particular district, further action will be taken to implement the method in other districts.

Recording the submissions, the judges directed Tasmac to follow the liquor bottle buy-back scheme in Coimbatore and Perambalur districts from November 15 onwards. The High Court also asked the State to file a status report on January 24th about the progress of the experimental implementation of the liquor bottle buy-back scheme.

It could be recalled that the AAG, in his arguments last, prayed the judges to spare the other districts apart from the hill stations from implementing this unique scheme. He submitted that there are several practical difficulties in proceeding with the scheme in other parts, certainly, in the cities.

However, judges did not accept the prayer and directed the Tasmac to explore the possibilities for the sake of environmental safety.