Chennai: Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has decided to shift the burden of its controversial empty bottle buyback scheme away from salesmen and supervisors. It has directed contractors to deploy dedicated staff at every liquor outlet to handle collections and secure separate storage space for empty bottles. The empty bottles can be returned to any Tasmac outlet, provided the label is intact. “The contractor’s staffer will collect empty bottles from those returning them and take care of packaging, storing, and sending them out in vehicles. The salesmen should only update the numbers in the system at the end of the business day,” said a source. Tasmac suitably altered the tender conditions and directed contractors to hire a place near outlets to store empty bottles, as many shops do not have space to keep the empty bottles. An official communication in this regard is expected during this week, according to sources.
There was huge resistance from Tasmac workers regarding the empty liquor bottle buyback scheme, though the state-run company was determined to extend the practice to all districts to abide by Madras high court’s order. Under the scheme, liquor buyers should pay 10 extra over MRP and get 10 reimbursed upon returning the empty liquor bottle.However, Tasmac workers complained that it cannot be done without additional manpower, as sticking labels, collecting empty bottles, and reimbursing the money will be a herculean task alongside their daily workload. While all other districts were covered under the scheme by Dec last year, the salesmen in Chennai and parts of Tiruvallur districts closed the liquor shops as a mark of protest on Jan 6, when the scheme was supposed to be introduced, following which the scheme was deferred for Chennai. Chennai and Tiruvallur east areas alone sell 3.5 lakh liquor and beer bottles every day.
