CHENNAI: TN govt has initiated steps to halt construction of luxury residential villas near Mudaliarkuppam along East Coast Road (ECR) following an intervention by the National Green Tribunal.
Residents of Thazhuthala Kuppam village had filed a case, seeking directions from the tribunal to the govt to demolish all ‘illegal’ constructions in neighbouring Paramankeni and Mudaliarkuppam. They complained that such constructions could affect fish spawning grounds, which in turn would affect the local fishing community’s livelihood.
During the trial, the state environment department told the tribunal that most structures built in these villages had failed to obtain the mandatory coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) clearances and that some of the buildings with a sea view were as close as 10 metres from the coastline. As per the law, an area up to 200 metres from the high tide line (HTL) is categorised a ‘No Development Zone’ (NDZ).
Citing these submissions, Chengalpet collector A Arunraj ordered the local planning authority to halt further construction. Accordingly, on March 12, notices were issued to owners of land with survey numbers 482 to 488, 496 to 499, and 241 for illegal construction activities in NDZ and gave them a week to reply.
When the case came up for hearing before thw NGT on Tuesday, justices Pushpa Sathyanarayana and Satyagopal Korlapati said they were unhappy with the manner in which govt reports are filed. They observed that such notices were only a ‘formality’ and there could not be any response to such steps. Therefore, the tribunal directed the authorities concerned to submit an action-taken report before the next hearing on April 12 and furnish details on what authority the constructions had come up in the NDZ in the first place. Two weeks have been given to collector Arunraj to inform the electricity board authorities not to give power supply and disconnect existing lines.
