Tasmac fails to pay a fine of Rs 10,000

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Chennai:  It’s raining profits every day at the TASMAC shops. Yet, the TASMAC officials have failed to pay Rs 10,000 fine to the consumer court bar in Chennai as ordered by the apex consumer court, for causing mental agony to residents of Mylapore by operating a liq­­uor shop adjacent to ration store.
 
Apex consumer court judge R. Regupathi had ordered the TASMAC chairman and managing director to remit the fine on or before June 30, 2013. So far, the fine has not been paid and this amounts to contempt of court.
 
Mylapore resident M. Shanmugaraj had appro­ached the consumer commission with the complaint that the TASMAC shop in his neighbourhood was causing severe mental agony to the residents. Advocate Palaniappan, who was his counsel, said the presence of a TASMAC shop next to the ration store, from where almost 800 cardholders collect their ration, was disturbing.
 
Many schools, temples and Rama­krishna Math are also located on the same road. He prayed for the shifting of the TASMAC shop from the residential zone. Walking the extra mile, literally, apex court judge Regupathi visited the liquor store next to the ration shop and passed an order directing TASMAC to pay the fine of Rs 10,000 on or before June 30.
 
He also ordered closure of the shop by June 20 .While TASMAC closed the shop, it would not pay the fine.   Speaking to DC, advocate Palaniappan said, “We are clueless why TASMAC has to delay the payment of the fine. The fine of just Rs 10,000 will not matter as TASMAC makes huge profits throughout the year.
 
We will file an execution petition shortly for the non-compliance of the court order. As per the execution petition, authorities who fail to obey the court order would be arrested.”  TASMAC managing director T. Soundiah was not available for comment even after several phone calls to his office.