HC dismisses plea to regulate the operation of garbage vehicles

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation filed for regulating the operations of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) garbage vehicles. The petitioner wanted to restrain the corporation from operating garbage vehicles during peak hours as well as school hours.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed the petition filed by city-based advocate K Anand. The judges dismissed the petition with the observation that the court cannot pass any orders to fix the operational time of the garbage vehicles.

In his affidavit, Anand pointed out that since the Greater Chennai Corporation is operating garbage trucks at the peak hours as school hours and office hours from 7 AM to 10 AM and in the evening 4 PM to 7 PM, it has been causing disturbances to the public at large and also vehicles passing through the roads and streets in Chennai.

"The GCC commissioner operates various types of solid waste collection trucks, operating mechanisms for loading, compression, and dumping refuse, and recyclable materials. I submit that the 2nd respondent carries on its operation at the peak time ie., 8.30 to 10 AM which causes great disturbances and nuisance, " the petitioner said in his affidavit.