NGT quashes clearance given to Marakkanam housing project

CHENNAI: The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered to quash the clearance given by the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA) to a housing project in Marakkanam of Villupuram district.

Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati observed how both the district and State-level Coastal Zone Management (CZM) authorities had not scrutinised the document critically before providing the clearance. It further noted that it is surprising that even the State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA) sanctioned the clearance.

Meanwhile, the joint committee formed by the bench during its inspection in October 2021 found that the proposed project for housing is within CRZ-II limit. However, the bench took note of the report regarding lack of road and other infrastructure and said it can be considered only to a limited extent.

However, the bench, looking into all factors, ordered to quash the clearance and directed the parties of the housing project to bear the cost.

The applicant in his petition pointed out that for the construction of 545 housing plots in Thalangadu village of Villupuram district, the two real-estate parties based in Chennai have sought clearance by fraudulent means.

However, the site is located within 500 meters from the sea, classified as CRZ-II area as per Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification 2011. Allowing any construction in the site will cause drastic environmental damages in the coastal belt, read the application.