Why not appoint team, led by an IAS officer, to maintain Marina: HC asks TN govt

Chennai: To look after the cleanliness and maintenance of the Marina beach, a key tourist spot in Tamil Nadu, why not the state government appoint a dedicated team, headed by an IAS officer? the Madras High Court has asked.

The team can consist of officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation and the departments of the public works and the police, the local councillor, an environmentalist, a social worker and a representative of traders, a division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and T V Thamilselvi suggested.

The bench was passing interim orders on a batch of PIL petitions recently from vendors praying for a direction to authorities concerned to allot them ice cream parlours on the beach.

The judges pointed out though the matter relates to allotment of shops on Marina, it is commonly stated that the beach was not properly maintained and was often littered and nobody cared about it.

Though the Corporation counsel submitted that the civic body was taking efforts to maintain the beach, the bench felt that certain queries should be raised and the authorities should answer them.

The questions related to the quantity of garbage generated per day on the beach, its removal, provision of rest rooms, including mobile ones on the three kms stretch and the money spent annually for its maintenance and the schemes or the measures taken to maintain it or to enhance its beauty.

Providing a market to the fish vendors near the Loop road to prevent them and the public from encroaching upon the area should also be answered.

Time is given till July 22 to answer the questions.