People residing at colonies near Madukkarai market today staged a protest in the District Collectorate urging the Collector to prevent the opening of a TASMAC outlet in their area.

More than 80 people, including women and children, who participated in the protest, said this was the third time they were petitioning the authorities to stop the opening of the outlet in their locality.

According to K. Rajendran, who runs a private firm in the locality said the outlet – planned on the Madukkarai Market-Echanari Road – would be a nuisance to the people. “It is a residential area. There is a school and a temple near the proposed place. We have requested the authorities not to open the outlet there,” he said.

“The Collector promised us that an outlet would not be opened there. Unfortunately they are planning to provide police security to the outlet,” another resident said.

The residents said they would indulge in strong protests if the administration went ahead with the opening of the outlet.