Chennai: We The Leaders Foundation, run by former IPS officer K Annamalai, has identified 129 Tasmac liquor outlets allegedly operating in violation of location norms and urged chief minister C Joseph Vijay to order their immediate closure. The outlets are reportedly located within 500 metres of educational institutions, places of worship and bus stations.Sharing the findings of a ground-level assessment on X, Annamalai said the shops continued to operate despite the state govt’s decision in May to close 717 Tasmac retail outlets. “We wish to draw the chief minister’s attention to the ground assessment conducted by We The Leaders Foundation. We found that 129 Tasmac shops continue to operate within a 500m radius of educational institutions, places of worship and bus stations,” he said.Annamalai said the foundation conducted the exercise after the state govt issued an order on May 12 announcing the closure of 717 liquor outlets. Urging the govt to act against the identified shops, he said they should be closed to “safeguard the spaces where our children learn, pray and commute.” Vijay-led TVK govt had announced the closure of the 717 outlets as part of its policy to rationalise the location of liquor shops and address concerns over outlets operating near sensitive public places.
