The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to implement the empty liquor bottle buyback scheme in Coimbatore and Perambalur districts from November 15. The court said the scheme could be implemented on a trial basis for two months in one large and one small district to study the difficulties, if there were any.
Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the orders despite a great amount of resistance from Tasmac to enter into the business of collecting empty bottles. It cited lack of space in the retail shops to store the empty bottles, the possible problems in accounting for them and reluctance on the part of the staff as reasons.
However, the judges said the corporation must take the responsibility of receiving the empty glass bottles which otherwise find their way into public places, agricultural fields, waterbodies, storm water drains and garbage bins. Apart from environmental concerns, the rag pickers and conservancy workers face the risk of suffering blood injuries.
