Protests by residents against TASMAC outlets have become the order of the day, pointing to public wrath over these shops that pose law and order problems.

The latest in the series of such protests was the one by residents of Sowripalayam in front of Collectorate today.

Four TASMAC shops are in operation in Sowripalayam in the proximity of schools, places of worship and hospitals.

Former councilor E Rama Moorthy, along with Sowripalayam residents and political activists outside the ruling party, joined in the protest.

“We gave petitions to the district administration and TASMAC officials. But no action has taken so far. People from six villages make it these shops as there are none in there after the Supreme Court order. After 7 pm the entire area is taken over by tipplers and walking along the roads becomes near impossible,” said Rama Moorthy.

The tipplers are a public nuisance and make water in public. It is just a few days left for schools to reopen and the authorities need to take immediate action, he added.

A woman who runs a grocery shop near one of the outlets says, “These days I close the shop around 7 pm because of the crowd to the outlet.”

Among the organisations whose representatives have signed the petitions include Arasial Kachi Talaivarkal, kovil committees and several NGOs. The concern of the people in the area gets deeper as there was a murder in the area recently and two persons who suffered injuries are still in ICU.