Steps will be taken to regularly clean, maintain Smart Fruit Market, surrounding areas: Madurai Corporation tells HC

Madurai Corporation on Wednesday told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that necessary steps would be taken to regularly clean and maintain the Smart Fruit Market and the surrounding areas in Mattuthavani.

A Division Bench of Justices Anita Sumanth and C. Kumarappan were informed by the authorities that proper fencing would be in place to prevent dumping of waste in the open. The vendors have been instructed to dump waste in the dustbins installed on the premises and fines would be imposed if waste was dumped in the open outside the market. An adequate number of conservancy workers would be deployed to clear the waste dumped in the dustbins, the court was informed.

Taking into account the undertaking given by Madurai Corporation, the court disposed of the public interest litigation petition that had sought a direction to the authorities to provide adequate dustbins at the market and prevent vendors from dumping waste in the open outside the market.

Earlier, expressing disappointment over the response of Madurai Corporation, the court observed that there was a lack of urgency and interest shown by Madurai Corporation in the issue and imposed a cost of Rs.50,000 on the civic body. The court had directed the cost be paid to the High Court Legal Services Authority.

The court had directed the Corporation to clean the market and the surrounding areas forthwith and submit a report to the court. The court observed that it was necessary that initiatives are taken to sensitise the public and instil civic sense in them. Spot fines can be imposed only if periodical inspections are conducted, the court had observed.

The court was hearing the petition filed by advocate S. Krishnakumar of Madurai. The petitioner complained that despite the Smart City initiative, the market was grappling with severe waste management problems and it required immediate attention.

He said there was no effective and structured waste disposal system. As a result the fruit vendors, having no designated waste disposal area, were throwing waste outside the market premises. The foul smell emanating from it affected the residents of the area, vendors and visitors. This created an unhygienic environment, he said. The Corporation submitted that the waste had been cleared.