TENKASI: Even though 90% of the construction work has been completed, the new collectorate building in Tenkasi remains abandoned due to a lack of environmental clearance.
Activists have alleged that officials’ apathy in obtaining the clearance has caused significant losses to the government, and have sought departmental action.
Tenkasi district was bifurcated from the combined Tirunelveli district in 2019 by the previous AIADMK government, and Rs 119 crore was allocated in 2020 to build the collectorate and the construction started in 2021.
Environmentalist S P Muthuraman filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), citing multiple violations in the construction. Acting on the complaint, the TNPCB issued a show cause notice to the authorities to stop the construction in 2022 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
However, the construction continued for a few months after the notice was issued. "The officials failed to obtain environmental clearance and Consent to Establishment from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority before starting the construction, as required under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006," said Muthuraman.
"I wonder if the officials were unaware of the EIA notification even 15 years after its issuance. Their apathy has caused significant losses. This building is unlikely to be inaugurated soon, as the Supreme Court has stayed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's efforts to regularise violating structures," he added.
Responding to a complaint by Vasudevanallur-based activist T Suresh, Public Works Department Executive Engineer S S Anita Santhi said, on December 23, the government is still in the process of obtaining environmental clearance and that the building will be inaugurated once it is granted.
Action sought against officials
Suresh urged departmental action against officials responsible for failing to secure mandatory clearances, stressing the need for accountability.
"While the state government enforces clearance requirements for private buildings, it bypassed the same for the collectorate. Temporary collectorate buildings lack basic facilities, and various district departments are functioning out of rented or cramped spaces, awaiting the inauguration of the new facility near the bus stand. Elderly people currently face difficulties walking between offices for services," he said.
Attempts to reach District Collector A K Kamal Kishore for comments were unsuccessful.