Following a direction from the Chennai Corporation, shops on Marina beach have installed garbage bins to check littering.
All the 1,800 shops on and around the sands have placed bins after the Corporation warned that it would impose a fine of Rs. 1,000 on violators.
A few months ago, eateries on the beach were found selling unwholesome food and littering the sands. As the data collected by Corporation officials pointed to a “total flouting of rules” on safe handling of food and garbage disposal, the civic body decided to impose fines on violators.
N. Ganesan, who runs a shop near the Marina swimming pool, said the enforcement drive had made the beach cleaner. “We are scared of dropping litter near our shops. Corporation officials are collecting a fine even if visitors drop a plastic bottle on the sands near a shop,” said Mr. Ganesan.
He said that after he was found selling products past their expiry date, officials had seized them. “They advised me not to sell them. I sell hygienic products now. More customers visited the shop today,” he said.
The number of illegal shops selling unhygienic food products on the beach has reduced considerably. The civic body plans to take more initiative to regulate the shops based on the existing statutory provisions and rehabilitate street vendors, following a direction of the Madras High Court.
