‘Allot shops in new facility at Kasimedu’

Justice M Duraiswamy, who vacated the status quo on a petition filed by the Fisheries department, said “In view of the orders passed in these petitions, the authorities are at liberty to open the new fish market complex forthwith and put the same to use.” 

Originally, on a petition filed by P Arunkumar and 49 other fishermen, the judge had on June 12 ordered status quo relating to shifting the fish market from the existing place in Kasimedu to the newly-constructed building in the same area. 

They had contended that since no export firm was ready to occupy the facility that lacked all amenities, authorities were now trying to push fishermen and vendors into the facility. They also claimed that it lacked basic infrastructure such as ice factories, ice breaking machines, cold storage units and container facilities to store the fishes before transporting them to various parts of the state, nation and abroad. 

Aggrieved, the Fisheries department filed the present petition contending that the new fish market, constructed at a cost of Rs 96.06 crore, possesses all modern facilities and should not be kept idle. Senior counsel K Doraisami appearing for the fishermen, who were against shifting, submitted that the petitioners may be permitted to do business in the existing market place till the disposal of the petition. 

However, the judge on holding that it was open to the petitioners to do their business activities in the existing fish market till the petition’s disposal, also made it clear that the petitioners shall not interfere with the business activities in the new fish market complex. 

In the event of any obstruction or any law and order problem created by the petitioners, it was open to the department to initiate appropriate legal action to maintain law and order, the judge added.