Chennai: Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, has petitioned the Tamil Nadu government to revoke approvals granted to a property developer for a residential project in Perumbakkam, alleging the site lies within the protected Pallikaranai marshland.
Complaint Details
In a complaint submitted to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, the organization stated that the company is “trying to restart the construction in violation of the Wetland Conservation Rules 2017 as well as a Supreme Court stay order to not undertake any construction within the wetland maps identified.” The project, on land under survey numbers 453, 495/2C, 496, 497, and 498 in Perumbakkam village, Chengalpet district, falls within the boundaries of the Pallikaranai marshland.
Significance of Pallikaranai Marshland
Pallikaranai is one of the 94 wetlands identified under the National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme. It is a freshwater marsh and partly saline wetland that serves as an aquatic buffer for Chennai and Chengalpet. The NGO emphasized that the construction must be halted immediately, and action should be taken against officials who granted permissions.
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) failed to consider the site’s status as part of a protected wetland while granting permissions, the NGO alleged. Additionally, the project applicant did not disclose the land’s location within or near the Ramsar site during the environmental clearance process.
Demands and Next Steps
The complaint requests the state government to review the permissions granted, stop all construction activities, and ensure the marshland’s protection in accordance with wetland conservation regulations.
