The women of Mayana Street in Pozhichalur are locked in a battle against a Tasmac shop in their neighbourhood. And they appear to be waging a losing battle. They have made several complaints to the police about the unruly behaviour of visitors to the outlet. They have also sought the intervention of the local councillor and the collector of the Kanchipuram district. After all these efforts, the Tasmac outlet continues to operate at the street. ∝The street is sandwiched between the Pammal burial ground and the outlet, and the residents there have no choice but to cross the shop to reach the main road.
Palayam, 45, says drunks queue up in front of the shop early in the day, causing inconvenience to women who go about shopping. She complains of being teased by men who lie in drunken stupour by the side of the road, all night long. Some use the stretch as a public convenience.
Komala (name changed) says, “On any given day, you can find men lying near the outlet in an inebriated condition.
There is always a long queue in front of the shop, even before it opens. We are forced to turn a deaf ear to their nasty comments. At times, women have been physically abused too.” Over five hundred women live in the vicinity. Adjacent to the street is a burial ground. Sometimes, these tipplers, insensitive to the feelings of a grieving family, join them on the way to the funeral, creating nuisance. There have been occasions where the last rites of the deceased have been disturbed by these people.
Adding to the trouble is the poor lighting of the street. Children studying at schools in Pozhichalur and Pammal too find it difficult. A woman said, “Every day, in the morning and evening, while my children are on their way to school and back, they notice men lying in an inebriated condition. At night, they keep asking questions about their behaviour, about what they drink and why they are lying on the ground unconsciously. It is very difficult to answer them.” Several complaints have been lodged against the TASMAC outlet at the nearby police station.
When the police arrive, these ruffians force their way into the houses in the neighbourhood to hide from the men in uniform. When questioned, they threaten the inmates. Women have given several representations to the Councillor and have also made a petition to the Collector, Kancheepuram district. When all their efforts turn futile, they are planning not to vote in the forthcoming ward elections. When contacted, Pallavaram MLA P. Dhanshingh said that so far he had not received any complaints regarding the outlet.
“If complaints are made, action will be taken,” he added.
