Pallikaranai marshland likely to be no-development zone

CHENNAI: Regardless of the Pallikaranai Marshland getting the Ramsar site (wetlands of international importance) tag and construction around the wetland going unabated, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has decided to include the survey numbers of the wetland in the Third Master Plan (TMP) as a swamp area making the wetland a ‘no development’ zone.

“The preparation of the Third Master Plan for the city (2027-2046) is under way. In consultation with the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority, action will be taken to incorporate guidelines according to the Ramsar Convention and the influence zones around the Pallikaranai swamp area into the TMP,” informed Anshul Mishra, the member-secretary of CMDA, to the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The planning authority demarcated the Pallikaranai swamp area in the Second Master Plan (SMP). Thus, no planning permission for development is entertained. However, planning permission for buildings are being provided for individuals with patta lands within primary residential zones as per the second master plan.

Assuring that exact details of the Pallikaranai wetland will be procured from the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority, the CMDA clarified that there will be no positive impact on the existing master plan if the details of the survey numbers covered under the Ramsar site and the details of the width of the influence zone around the marshland along with the guidelines for permitting developments not incorporated into the master plan.

Moreover, the master plan can be modified or altered as per section 32 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, after government approval. It may be noted that Pallikaranai Marshland was announced as a Ramsar site in July 2022.

The NGT is hearing a suo motu case in connection to the road construction inside the marshland in Perumbakkam. The Tribunal has directed CMDA to submit details of planning permission given to the builder since the area was declared a Ramsar site and furnish a plan of action for the future if the authority has not made any changes in the master plan.

“Planning permission issued to Casagrand Private Limited by CMDA does not come within the swamp area as notified in the second master plan but rather in the patta lands, of individuals, located in the primary residential zone of the second master plan,” explained Anshul Mishra.