CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered notice to Chennai Metropolitan Development Agency (CMDA) and other respondents directing to file reply to a petition filed by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) challenging the order barring developing of land and raising constructions within 1 km of the influence zone of the Pallikaranai Ramsar site.
The first division bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan ordered notice to the respondents seeking them to file reply within two weeks.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the National Green Tribunal south zone bench, on September 24, 2025, passed an order directing the authorities concerned not to grant approval for constructions in the ‘zone of influence’, “arbitrarily” fixing a distance of 1 km around the Pallikaranai Ramsar site “without any statutory notification or hearing the stakeholders”. Following the NGT orders, the CMDA imposed a ban on approvals on October 9, resulting in complete freezing of constructions, he said. The counsel alleged such a ban was in violation of principles of natural justice.