With the continued efforts of Kalanjiam SHG members, a liquor shop named TASMAC has been closed by the district collector permanently on 5th February 2020. Palamedu Vattara Kalanjiam is one of the Kalanjiam federations in Madurai rural region. The federation is 25 years old, having 237 groups and 4019 members with a turnover of around Rs.13 crores. This federation is one of the role models for various self-help groups.
On 5th November 2019, a TASMAC shop was opened opposite to the Palamedu Vattara Kalanjiam federation office at a distance of 200 meters from the federation office. Federation leaders along with Padma Shri Chinnapillai twice visited collector office and gave the petition for shifting the TASMAC shop to some other location. Knowing about this, TASMAC staff also gave a petition to the collector claiming that there is no such nuisance. Some people in the locality (who use to drink in the shop) also supported the TASMAC staff petition and also witnessed. Officials from Kalal department and CID visited the location and submitted a report to the collector stating that there is no problem to the Kalanjiam members due to the TASMAC shop.
The report ignited the perseverance among the Kalanjiam members. They were persistent in visiting the collector repeatedly. On 23rd December 2019, the officials from Kalal department arranged a compromise meeting between federation leaders and TASMAC staff, but the meeting ended without any conclusion, saying that the collector will take the decision. This agitated the Kalanjiam members and the members approached police station twice and sought support for conducting Dharna in front of the Kalanjiam office. The Sub-Inspector refused for support due to the election code. In the meantime, TASMAC staff and politicians threatened the federation staff and also the leaders in their office as well as in their home.
Since there was no response from collector office and police department, on 13th January 2020, 200 Federation members conducted Dharna for one hour in front of the Federation office. Police department and Tahsildar promised the members that the TASMAC shop will be shifted within 31st January 2020. Subsequently the cluster EC members gave a petition to the collector on 23rd January 2020 once again for shifting the shop. When the TASMAC shop opened at noon on 1st February, all the Federation members went for Dharna in front of the Federation office. Police and VAO visited and assured the members that by 10th February, TASMAC shop will be shifted. On 3rd February, Federation In-charge and Regional coordinator visited the collector, and collector issued the letter for the immediate shutdown of the TASMAC shop. On 5th February 2020, the TASMAC shop has been closed.
