The New Indian Express ·
33 suspended for closing Tasmac shops; Minister K Vignesh says govt will not bow down
CHENNAI: Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh on Saturday defended disciplinary action against overcharging Tasmac employees, even as the state-run liquor entity suspended 33 supervisors in Kancheepuram on Friday after they allegedly kept outlets closed during employees’ protests against the bottle buy-back scheme.
Speaking to reporters at Pollachi GH in Coimbatore, Vignesh supported punishing staff found overcharging customers and said the government would not yield to pressure. He blamed previous governments for allowing irregular practices to become entrenched in Tasmac. “The protest is not across the state. Most districts, including Coimbatore and Madurai, are operating shops and selling liquor at MRP. Protests are held in some areas where employees are being misguided. The government will not bow down. Whoever charges extra will face punishment,” he said, adding that the revamped bottle buy-back arrangement would be put in place in about 25 days and urged employees to cooperate until then.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Tasmac Managing Director K Nanthakumar confirmed that the supervisors were suspended but declined to comment further.
According to a Tasmac document shared by Tamil Nadu Tasmac Employees Union, affiliated with AITUC, the 33 supervisors were suspended for failing to open their shops after 1 pm on Thursday and not reporting for duty until 5 pm on Friday despite being served notices. The union said the employees had closed the outlets and staged a protest outside the Kancheepuram South District Manager’s office.
Union state president N Periasamy told TNIE that while employees agreed that customers should not be charged above the MRP, the government must meet the expenses currently borne by workers if overcharging was to be eliminated.
He said, “The workers have to spend money out of their own pocket to hire staff and pay their salaries for pasting stickers and collecting empty bottles. They also have to pay rent for the space used to store the bottles.”
(With inputs from R Kirubakaran @ Coimbatore)