CHENNAI: The HC has directed the Corporation of Chennai to consider a plea to declare MRC Nagar in RA Puram, where an Ayyappan temple, a school and judges and ministers are residing as a no-hawking zone.
The first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar gave the direction while disposing of a PIL from one Raghu Raman, on Wednesday. The Corporation Commissioner should take a decision in accordance with law within two weeks, the bench said.
The Corporation Commissioner and city police Commissioner should also take necessary action to remove the unauthorised encroachments in MRC Nagar, in accordance with law, the bench added. According to petitioner, a resident of the Nagar for 25 years, many encroachments had come up in the recent past in and around MRC Nagar and in Janaki and Sathyan Avenues. Encroachers had put up permanent structures to sell all sorts of food items.
The food items are prepared on the pavements and sold in an unhygienic manner. The encroachments are causing hindrance to school-going children and devotees going to the temple. They have also become a haven for tipplers to consume alcohol. His representations to the authorities did not evoke any response, the petitioner added and prayed for the removal of the encroachments and to consider his plea to declare area as a non-hawking zone.