The Hindu 09.04.2013
Civic body pursues solutions
An alternative proposal for balancing the livelihood of
hawkers on the Marina beach with the beautification of the location will
soon be worked out by the Chennai Corporation.
The
Chennai Corporation on Monday asked officials to submit new proposals
taking all aspects at the local level into consideration. The officials
will study the new challenges due to increased number of hawkers before
framing a scheme that “will not affect their livelihood and will also
provide certain facilities to beach-users.”
The civic
body held a meeting on Monday after submitting before the High Court
that the measures will be taken in a “regulated manner so it does not
have an adverse impact on the environment as well as on local hygiene
and sanitation.”
The writ petition was filed by
president of Gandhiji Consumer Forum, K. Balaji. The petitioner had said
Marina Beach was in a pathetic and shabby condition and foreign
tourists were afraid of coming to the beach. Through their negligence,
the authorities had allowed hundreds of small shops and vendors to
operate all over the beach. Because of their failure to implement the
Food Safety and Standards Act, substandard and unhygienic food was being
sold there, the petition said.
The civic body may
once again enumerate the hawkers and would require at least three months
to implement the new scheme that may include removal of all shops from
the sands.
Temporary shops are likely to be permitted along the service lane if the proposal is cleared by the traffic police.