Vendors switch to eco-friendly material for a cleaner Marina, but questions remain on cleanliness

A 16-member squad inspects the beach in the evenings and levies fine on the public or vendors if they are found to be violating the rule on use of single use plastics

Despite the State taking a stance to reduce and reuse plastics, the sands of the Marina have remained an exception for a very long time now. The extent of use of plastics on the beach in food stalls and subsequently strewn on the beach was simply staggering. However, an end to this seems to be in sight as the vendors have shifted to more eco-friendly options.

For the past six months, the Greater Chennai Corporation has been actively pushing for vendors to shift to more eco-friendly options to serve food. As a result, vendors have purchased glass plates or glasses or use palm leaf bowls now.

A pack of 50 palm leaf plates costs the vendors from ₹600 to ₹750 and despite selling each plate of food for ₹20 or ₹25, they find their profits marginal at best. Vendors like Sridhar, who serve food in glass plates or glasses, have two buckets of water beside them with soap and a brush to clean the utensil after every wash. However, cleanliness of a plate is not entirely guaranteed and palm leaf bowls are preferred.

“We stopped using plastic a while ago and every day corporation officials come to inspect the stalls”, said Revathy (name changed), who sells pani puri and chaat.  

According to Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi, a 16-member beach squad inspects the beach in the evenings and charges the public or vendors fines in case they are violating the rule. He added that a spot fine of ₹100 is levied only to discourage littering; the team collected ₹2,100 between November 19 and 22. In the mornings, sand sweeper tractors are deployed to collect any waste which are taken to a nearby garbage insulation plant. “Our aim is to make the beach plastic free and we will continue to be vigilant”, said the Commissioner.

A walk on the beach proves that this move has been effective and hints at a cleaner Marina.