CHENNAI: After consistently refusing permission to ‘red category’ industries to set up shop within city limits, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has altered regulations to allow highly polluting industries to set shop in areas included in the Chennai corporation’s limits of 2009.
Reliable sources said the decision was taken after a few companies appealed against the CMDA’s recent decision denying permission for factories that fall under the city’s corporation limits. Gulf Oil Lubricants’ proposed plant at Kathivakkam at Ennore is one such project that was denied permission.
As per development regulations, special and hazardous industries, categorised as ‘red industries’, were earlier not allowed to set up factories within city limits.
Members of the High Court-appointed monitoring committee said that the committee was not been consulted while making the changes in the regulations permitting red category industries in city limits.
“We were not consulted at all,” said M G Deivasahayam, a member of the committee and a former IAS officer. He said the High court order had mandated that the committee must be consulted in case of any changes to be made in the Master Plan and Development Control Rules, which affect construction activity in the city.