Centre prescribes spl terms of reference for Pen monument

CHENNAI: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union government has prescribed special Terms of Reference (ToR) for the State government to "undertake detailed environment impact assessment along with conduction of public hearing by the Public Works Department (PWD), Government of Tamil Nadu" for the PEN monument proposed for late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment, in its letter to PWD, prescribed 10 special ToRs to be undertaken for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance.

"The design shall not be isolated one from the local architecture and motifs which shall be appropriately incorporated in the design to portray Indian heritage features in a place of heritage and tourist importance." the Union government said in the special ToR.

The State government announced the construction of a 'PEN' memorial for Karunanidhi off the coast of Bay of Bengal near the memorial of Karunanidhi at the estimated cost of Rs 81 crore.

The proposed project named 'Muthamizh Arignar Dr Kalaignar Pen Monument' will feature a 42-metre tall monument surrounded by landscaped gardens and located in Bay of Bengal at a distance of 360 metres from the shore.

There will be a pedestrian bridge from his memorial to the PEN monument at an elevation of 6 metres from the high tide line. The length of the bridge over the land is 290 metres and over the sea is 360 meters, totally covering a distance of 650 metres. The width of the bridge will be 7 metres with 3 metres of glass flooring.

Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in a letter sent to PWD last week, has urged the PWD to submit Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by the consultants accredited wit the quality control of India or National Accreditation Board of Education and Training to them within four years for CRZ clearance.

While saying so, the Union government has proposed specific ToRs such as divulging the details of dredging and disposal of dredged materials, impact of proposed PEN monument on shoreline accretion or erosion, detailed crowd management, carrying capacity study meaning the safe limit of number of people to be permitted on the monument at a time keeping in view the emergency evacuation, examination of impact of marine life, fishing vessel movement and marine patrol, details of fishing activity and likely impact on the fishing activity due to the proposed PEN monument and so on.