Madras HC directs officials to appear over missing Marina vending report

CHENNAI: Expressing dissatisfaction over the failure to file the report on regulating street vending on the Marina beach, the Madras High Court directed the Environment and Forest Department Secretary and the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner to appear in person and provide an explanation.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Devi, a resident of Triplicane, seeking the allotment of a shop on the beach, the bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and AD Jagadish Chandira had earlier directed the authorities to hold a consultation meeting with officials of the Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, the Corporation Commissioner, and the police department to determine whether the Corporation has any plan to regulate street vending there, and how the issues of the street vendors would be addressed.

The court had also ordered that a report be filed after the meeting.

When the case came up for hearing again, the judges expressed dissatisfaction over the failure to file the report as directed.

They remarked that there seemed to be no concern or effort devoted to developing Marina beach, the second-longest beach in the world. "Whatever orders we issue are not implemented. This cannot be considered an appropriate approach," the judges observed.

Further, the court directed the Secretary of the Environment and Forest Department and the Chennai Corporation Commissioner to appear in person on December 10 and provide an explanation regarding this matter.