PUDUCHERRY: Concerns are growing over the encroachment of the Chunnambar river and its banks, with allegations that real estate businesses are illegally occupying government poramboke land. Former Congress MLA and Government Whip R K R Anantharaman, as well as V Chandrasekhar, President of the Bangaaru Vaickal Neeraadhara Koottamaippu, a farmers’ association, has called for an urgent action to remove these encroachments and hold the violators accountable.
Approximately four acres of government poramboke land on the banks of the Chunnambar river in Poornankuppam Revenue Village of Ariyankuppam have reportedly been encroached upon. Anantharaman, who staged a protest in front of the Ariyankuppam Commune Panchayat office on Friday, stated, “Structures and access roads have been built, encroaching on this land. Rocks have been dumped into the Chunambar river to fill an area of about 100 square metres, extending the encroached land by a hotelier.”
Additionally, a resort and access road have been constructed without adhering to CRZ norms, claimed Chandrasekhar in his petition to the Lt Governor K K Kalaishnathan on August 9. The land falls under the CRZ map PY-05 of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Management plan approved by the Ministry of Forests and Climate Change, Government of India.
“Such activities are prohibited as per the 2019 notification. The encroacher is clearly violating these zones by dumping soil and stones, redefining the river bank, which is an unpardonable crime and must be dealt with immediate measures,” he alleged.
The encroachment is reportedly taking place in Paravakkadu, an area known for attracting migratory birds due to its proximity to the lagoon, located in Poornankuppam Revenue Village. The issue has also drawn attention to the draft CRZ map published by the Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority (PCZMA), which was later withdrawn due to public pressure.
Chandrasekhar remarked, “The draft deliberately omitted key ecological sensitive elements and delineated the said encroachment by the resort inside the sensitive area. This is nothing short of daylight robbery, prohibited under CRZ-2011 Section 3(ix) and Section 8(III)(A)(iii).”
In addition to the Chunnambar river issue, Anantharaman highlighted that another three acres of government poramboke land in Nonankuppam village have been encroached upon for fish culture.
“The ongoing theft must be stopped, and stringent action must be taken against the encroachers and the concerned officials, including the Puducherry Coastal Zone Management Authority and local revenue officials who have been complicit by not acting on earlier complaints,” Chandrasekhar said.