The Bombay High Court recently sought an affidavit from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in reply to a PIL by residents of housing societies in south Mumbai’s Tardeo area, alleging that a new fish market run within the residential area was affecting their health and religious sentiments.
The court asked the BMC to ensure hygiene conditions are maintained in the fish market.
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Makarand S Karnik on May 8 was hearing a PIL by Megha Agarwal, Vikram Jogani, Laxmichand Gala, and Mahendra Jain from Tulsiwadi area in Tardeo. The petitioners, through advocate Deepa Pohuja, claimed that the fish market, which opened in March this year on the ground floor of the municipal building in the area, did not maintain any hygiene norms and the water with foul odour would come in the basement and compound of the petitioners’ housing societies and on the Tulsiwadi Main road.
The petitioners also claimed that the runoff water filled the road with “maggots”, and while there were three to four stalls in the market at present, there would be 50-50 more stalls in the future.
The petitioners argued that the said fish market was in a residential area having over 19 buildings and four temples. The PIL claimed that the market had been “gravely affecting the lives of those living in the locality” and the residents’ religious sentiments.
The petitioners claimed that the same caused health problems to children, senior citizens and other residents. Moreover, the PIL alleged that inconvenience was caused to devotees who visit temples, including a Jain temple in the nearby area. The residents also claimed that there were no fixed timings for transporting goods from the fish market, and the said vehicles parked in the narrow lane cause traffic congestion in the vicinity.
Advocate Chaitalee Deshpande for the BMC submitted that the civic body would ensure that the fish market was run following the guidelines applicable to BMC-run fish markets. The high court issued notices to the respondents, the state government and the BMC authorities, including its assistant commissioner, markets, and directed them to file affidavits in reply within four weeks, after which it will hear the matter.