CMDA directed to close all wholesale flower shops in George Town

Disposing a batch of writ petitions challenging their eviction orders, Justice S M Subramaniam, said: “On a perusal of various orders of this court as well as the orders of the Division Bench of this court, it has been consistently held that all these vendors in Badrian Street are doing wholesale flower business as per the inspection report of the officials of CMDA.”

“When it is repeatedly recorded by the courts and the government has also ordered for eviction of these wholesale traders and even after locking and sealing of the premises, they have broken open the lock and seal and the FIR registered by the police is also ineffective, this court is of an opinion that a serious thought over such factual sequences are certainly warranted,” he added.

Directing the authorities to videograph the implementation of closing such wholesale shops, Justice Subramaniam also sought the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, to provide adequate police protection for the competent officials while they lock and seal the premises of the wholesale traders.

He also directed the Commissioner of Police to install a police booth near Badrian Street to ensure that no further wholesale trade business is allowed either by the petitioners or by any other vendors, besides intensifying the police patrolling till the normalcy is arrived in that locality.

He also directed the Inspector of Police, Flower Bazaar police station, to continue the investigation in respect of the FIR registered and proceed with the prosecution.

The judge also castigated the authorities for failing to take effective steps to prevent the continuance of wholesale business in that locality, an area which he noted was already congested thereby affecting  commuters.