MADUARAI : The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a petition filed by the Dindigul Mavatta Salaiyora Siru Virpanaiyalar Tholilar Sangam, an association for street vendors, seeking permission for vending on the ‘girivalam’ path of the Dhandayudhapani Swamy Temple in Palani of Dindigul district.
The petitioners stated that street vendors were carrying out their business within the yellow line on both sides of the giriveedhi for several years. However, the authorities are trying to evict them suddenly, the petitioners alleged and sought protection under the Tamil Nadu Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme and Rules, 2015.
A bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and R Vijayakumar dismissed the petition after noting that the high court, in an order passed in 2017, had specifically restrained authorities from issuing licences or identity cards to street vendors near the ‘giriveedhi’.
The state had also passed a government order in 1948, prohibiting commercial activities in and around the ‘giriveedhi’, the judges noted.
Given the aforementioned judicial and government orders, the street vendors’ petition cannot be entertained, the judges opined and dismissed the petition.
The counsel appearing for the Palani municipality pointed out that the ‘giriveedhi’ is under the temple devasthanam’s control and not the municipality’s. Based on the court’s directives, the authorities are now taking steps to clear encroachments in the giriveedhi, the counsel added.