CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has reserved the order in the case of alleged flattening of sand dunes by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) at Injambakkam.
Fishermen activist K Saravanan has filed an application before the NGT saying CMDA and Chennai Shoreline Renourishment and Revitalisation Projects Limited, a special purpose vehicle established by the state government for renourishment and revitalisation of Chennai’s coast from Marina Beach to Kovalam for Rs 100 crore, was levelling sand dunes using earthmovers, digging borewells in Olive Ridley turtles nesting ground, and dumping construction debris for the building cycle track, pedestrian pathway, food court, and open air theatres.
According to the petitioner, when the CMDA approached the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Management Authority for clearance, the authority recorded that the activities were not permissible in the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) area and returned the proposal. Saravanan, however, said that the authority went beyond its statutory mandate and suggested the CMDA to try the project for Blue Flag Certification to get an exception from the CRZ norms.
Senior counsel P Wilson, appearing for CMDA, refuted the allegations and claimed that no dunes were destroyed. A counter affidavit, undersigned by Anshul Mishra, member-secretary of CMDA, was submitted before the NGT.
Wilson said Chennai boasts of 52km beachfront from Ennore to Kovalam. The beach stretches are fragmented and access to them is sparse. Other than certain stretches at Marina, Besant Nagar, and Thiruvanmiyur, it is difficult for the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities to access the beaches. The project, ‘Integrated Coastal Community Development for Kasimedu, Thiruvotriyur, Injambakkam & Akkarai’, was envisioned as a community development project that would aid in the development of coastal communities, improve access and safety of beach users, and support the livelihood of coastal communities.
CMDA is developing an overall comprehensive master plan called the Comprehensive Shoreline Development Plan (CSDP) which will be completed by September. A Pre-Feasibility Assessment for Chennai Shoreline Renourishment and Revitalisation Projects, in line with the World Bank guidelines under Tamil Nadu Housing & Habitat Development Project which is a component of the World Bank-funded Chennai City Partnership Programme, is also being prepared.
“The projects under the Integrated Coastal Community Development in Injambakkam fall under CRZ-2 and adhere to the norms. The design does not disturb primary and secondary sand dunes,” Anshul Mishra said in his affidavit.
After hearing both the parties and recording the undertaking of Wilson, the NGT has reserved the order.