CHENNAI: Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered demolition of bungalows constructed close to Bay of Bengal on ECR for Coastal Regulation Zone violations and also for disconnection of electricity and water in five other bungalows close to the coast. A Division Bench comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and R Hemalatha passed the order while hearing a batch of petitions seeking a direction to Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority to consider re-classification of Akkarai village and Sholinganallur panchayat on ECR as areas under CRZ-II as per the guidelines contained in the government of India notification dated February 19, 1991.
Citing the recent cases of CRZ violations at Maradu in Kerala where buildings were demolished, the judges ordered demolition of buildings on plot numbers 35,36,37 built on ECR near Akkarai and dismissed the petition filed in this regard by PS Govindachari. The bench also while hearing another plea filed by one Syed Abbas directed the authorities to disconnect electricity and sewage connection and water supply to plot nos 10 and 11 on ECR, Muttukadu, within two weeks.
The bench then directed the SP concerned to provide full police protection to carry out the demolition and further directed that the order should be communicated to officials of Municipal Administration and Water supply Department.It was informed by government officials in their inspection report that groynes had been put by Fisheries Department in Muttukkadu backwaters mouth and rear side of CIBA.
It was also further reported that to protect the buildings from sea waves certain houses in the strip of land have dumped rock boulders, thus forming a wall which are now acting as groyne and the adjacent beach are on its northern side is getting eroded.