K R RAMASWAMY Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD all the counsel appearing for the parties.

(2.) THIS case clearly indicates the lackadaisical attitude shown by all concerned in implementing the Government Order in G.O.Ms.No,62, Housing and Urban Development (UD III (1) Department, dated 23.02.1999 that set the deadline as 28.02.1999 for shifting the wholesale trading of Iron and Steel goods from George Town area to Sathangadu. Now, 10 years have gone. Unfortunately, the things moved only at snail's pace forcing this Court to issue several directions from time to time for personal appearances of officers concerned and for filing of status reports. Considering the nature of grievance of the people living in the George Town area, which is a residential area, i.e. residents in the George Town residential area suffer sleepless nights due to loading and unloading of Iron and Steel materials and allied industrial activities such as welding etc., in view of the carrying on of the wholesale trade in Iron and Steel materials, as the matter involves Article 21 of the Constitution, this Court took an activist approach in public interest and issued several directions as detailed herein below which this Court would not do in normal circumstances.

(3.) THE aforementioned G.O.Ms.No,62 dated 23.02.1999 is one such Notification issued under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Act 24 of 1996 declaring -Sathangadu Iron and Steel Market Area- to be the market area for Chennai Metropolitan area in respect of iron and steel materials, which is one of the specified commodities under the schedule to the Act as defined in Section 2(13) of the Act.