CHENNAI: The southern bench of National Green Tribunal on Friday directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to file a detailed compliance report on the removal of construction debris dumped along the Pattinapakkam shore, a CRZ-1A ecologically sensitive zone, by September 2.
The direction comes after the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA), invoking Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, ordered the civic body on August 27 to immediately clear the debris and restore the site to its original condition.
The authority had set a deadline of August 29 for compliance, citing that the dumping and levelling activity is a prohibited activity under CRZ Notification, 2011, as no clearance had been obtained. Chief Secretary N Muruganandam held a meeting with officials concerned on Thursday and instructed them to comply with the CZMA directions.
During Friday’s hearing, CZMA informed the tribunal that only partial clearance had been undertaken by GCC as of Thursday evening. The tribunal noted with concern that despite clear directions, the civic body had failed to fully comply. Petitioners submitted photographs showing that only a seven-metre-wide stretch had been cleared while large quantities of debris remained.
GCC counsel, however, argued that the corporation was not responsible for dumping but had merely provided vehicles and barricades at the request of the police to facilitate crowd management during Vinayaka Chaturthi idol immersion. The corporation also submitted photographs claiming that clearance was carried out on Friday morning.
The Bench observed that GCC could not “wiggle out” of responsibility by shifting the blame on to the police, pointing out that the corporation’s vehicles were used in the activity and that it remained accountable for compliance with environmental laws.
“The direction of CZMA is categorical. GCC must file a compliance report with photographic evidence on Tuesday,” the bench said, warning that non-compliance will be viewed seriously and could invite further action.
The tribunal also flagged larger concerns about the immersion of non-eco-friendly idols in natural waterbodies. It referred to previous NGT orders, CPCB guidelines of 2020 and Tamil Nadu Government Orders of 2018, as well as a Madras High Court ruling, which clearly mandate that only certified eco-friendly idols can be immersed in rivers, lakes, or the sea.
The matter has been posted to September 2 for GCC’s compliance report, along with updates from the Pollution Control Board and state authorities on preparations to enforce eco-friendly immersion practices during the Vinayaka Chaturthi idol immersion festival this weekend.