Three wine shops within 100m, residents wage a losing battle against tipplers

Pointing out that there were three liquor shops within just 100-metre range in this residential area, a resident said, “We often find people urinating outside our gates after consuming alcohol, besides passing out outside our houses on the streets. Every morning we step out to such sights, which is never welcoming.” 

According to Raghukumar Choodamani, a resident of Venkatraman Canal Street, drinking in public, public nuisance, drunken brawls, drunkards found unconscious at the doors, chain snatching, eve teasing and drunken and rash driving are the main issues they have been facing and are forced to get used to. 

“Lodging petitions with the local officials, enforcement agencies, senior officials of TASMAC, Collector and the Chief Minister’s Special Cell have yielded only temporary relief, from time to time,” said the resident, who has filed a number of petitions over the past. He added that the complainants have received contradictory responses from government authorities. 

“We have the records,” he said. Besides the drunken men, the residents also complaint about young school students having to negotiate liquor bottles while walking on the street. 

“Liquor is being sold illegally in the early hours of the day. We have often come across autorickshaw drivers consuming alcohol while squatting on the road after having parked their vehicles outside our homes. In fact, most customers who come to purchase or drink alcohol here park their vehicles outside our houses, as there is not sufficient parking space in front of the shops,” he added. 

Even though TASMAC rules mandate that a bar needs to run from a proper building, these continue to operate in open air, added Raghukumar. While senior officials from TASMAC could not be reached, sources in the corporation claimed they have not received any complaints so far over this.