Clean Marina by New Year: Madras HC tells Corporation

A division bench comprising Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Anita Sumanth, before whom the plea moved by fishermen care came up, took exception to Marina beach remaining in a dismal shape.

While the counsel appearing for the Corporation made a mention about the Corporation Commissioner having embarked on streamlining the shops present there, the bench on noting that there is no point in defending the Commissioner on what has been done, made it clear that it wants to take up cleanliness in Marina in a comprehensive manner and sought details about all the plans in black and white by December 17.

The bench led by Justice Kothari also insisted that the report should contain details about the funds available, the policy decisions regarding fish markets and the man-equipment resource available to ensure that Marina is clean by the beginning of next year. While directing the Corporation to continue doing its work as per the policy decisions evolved and not wait until December 17 to commence their work, the bench warned to summon the Chief Secretary in the event of no progress in Marina beautification.

Earlier, the bench in its order said, “The counsel for the petitioner, Fishermen Care, a registered association, submitted that they have already held a meeting among their members and members of other related associations and all of them are ready to co-operate with the municipal authorities and State for the clean up and upkeep of the beach and the coastal line in the state, including the Loop Road.”

“The counsel for the petitioner undertakes to file the affidavits of the executive heads of authorised members of the petitioner association and the members of other related associations. In such an undertaking, he would also give the names and addresses of other related associations for fishermen so that they can also be arrayed as proforma petitioners in the present case,” the bench said.

“On the other hand, government counsel submitted that he would furnish the details about a new market set up for the fishermen behind the building of Queen Mary’s College and the details of the State/Municipal dedicated Fund for ‘Marina Beach’. He also submitted that the connected PIL which was on board of the court on December 7 has been directed to be listed on December 17, wherein the Commissioner of Greater Corporation of Chennai has been directed to come up with a concrete action plan for cleaning up the Marina Beach and therefore this matter may also be tagged with that case,” the bench added.