Members of the joint action committee of Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) trade unions staged a demonstration in front of the Coimbatore Collectorate on Friday seeking alternative job for employees affected by the closure of liquor outlets in the district.

The unions said the State government had ordered the closure of 717 Tasmac outlets across Tamil Nadu from May 12 as they were located within 500 metres of schools, colleges, places of worship and bus stands. In Coimbatore district alone, 69 outlets — including 48 in Coimbatore North and 21 in Coimbatore South — were shut following the order.

According to the unions, the closure of the outlets had affected more than 300 employees in Coimbatore district. They said employees who had been working in Tasmac outlets for over 22 years were left without work after the closure of the shops and urged the State government to provide them permanent alternative employment in other government departments.

The unions also sought action against private FL-2 bars and clubs functioning within the prescribed distance limit, stating that the same norms enforced on Tasmac outlets should be applied to them as well.

Among other demands, the unions called for the Tasmac administration to bear the expenses involved in transporting liquor stock from closed outlets, appoint additional employees in functioning outlets to manage increased workload, compensate for damaged bottles, and bear electricity and unloading charges for shops.