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.
