The Madras High Court today directed the state government to set up rehabilitation centres in government hospitals in all taluks for those addicted to liquor.
Disposing of a public interest litigation filed by Ramkumar Aditya, a division bench of Justices C T Selvam and Basheer Ahamed directed the government to consider the plea and set up the centres within eight weeks.
The petitioner said in the last two years, 75 people had died every month owing to addiction to liquor.
He said though more than 1,000 shops had been closed, the number of people affected by liquor was increasing year after year.
At present, rehabilitation centres were located only in medical college hospitals, he said, adding, he had given a representation to set up similar centres in 2017.
But no action had been taken, he alleged.