HC orders shifting of iron market to outskirts

Chennai, July 18 (UNI) Madras High Court today directed the authorities to shift the iron and steel market from George Town to Sathankadu on the outskirts of the city by March 31, 2009.

A Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice P K Misra and Mr Justice M Sathyanarayanan, also directed the city commissioner of police to ensure that there was no hindrance to the free flow of traffic and any irregular movement of heavy vehicles in George Town should be controlled.

Pursuant to the earlier direction of the Bench on July 14, on a public interest litigation filed by a social worker Traffic Ramasamy, seeking to direct the authorities to shift the market from the city to the suburban areas, Secretaries of Home, Municipal Administration and Transport departments, Member Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), city police Commissioner, and the Commissioner of the Chennai Municipal Corporation were present in the court.

After the submission of the Government pleader and the officers present, the Bench directed the authorities to take steps to forthwith issue planning permission in Sathankadu when the allottees filed applications.

''One of the grievances of the petitioner is that activities such as cutting and welding of iron goods took place in the open, thereby causing health hazards. The trader association and the authorities should take action to prevent such activities,'' the Bench observed.

The Bench posted the case to November 11 for further hearing and for filing status report by the CMDA.

UNI XR GD 2020