The residents of Kalakshetra Colony and other environmental organisations have been opposing the dumping of debris at the Arupadai Murugan temple beach for a long time now, however, there seems to be no action from any government agency. There have been unconfirmed reports that the debris has been dumped by some government agencies to make roads on the beach.
However, the beach falls in the category of Coastal Regulation Zone 1 (CRZ 1) and thus any construction there is illegal. CRZ 1 are ecologically sensitive areas that are essential in maintaining the ecosystem of the coast. This includes natural parks, sanctuaries, reserve forests, wildlife habitats, mangroves, coral reefs, breeding and spawning grounds of marine life, heritage areas, areas rich in genetic diversity, areas likely to be inundated by the rise in sea levels, and the areas between low and high tide lines.
The beaches from Marina to Uthandi, which are home to the endangered Olive Ridley Turtles, come under CRZ 1A and 1B. As per the Ministry of Environment and Forest, “No new construction shall be permitted within 500 metres of the High Tide Line. No construction activity, except facilities for carrying treated effluents and wastewater discharges into the sea, facilities for carrying seawater for cooling purposes, oil, gas and similar pipelines, will be permitted between the Low Tide Line and the High Tide Line.” Any other construction is a violation.
Highlighting considerable dissent about the situation, the residents along with Charu Govindan (Coordinator of Voice of People), V.Srinivasan (environmental activist and Convenor of Save Pallikaranai Marshland Forum) and C.Srinivasan (Puduvellam) shared with Adyar Times a copy of the letter addressed to the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Chairperson Chennai District Coastal Zone Management Authority and the Secretary of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Tamilnadu and Chairperson State Coastal Zone Management Authority. With the letter, action is sought immediately!
The letter states:
We draw your urgent attention and intervention on the dumping of construction debris and the formation of a new illegal road on the beach near Arupadai Murugan temple, Besant Nagar.
An illegal new road is being formed to be laid after dumping of debris closer to the beach shoreline and near Arupadai Murugan Kovil, under Ward 179. This is in complete violation of the CRZ.
We are surprised to see how such new illegal roads in violation of CRZ are being formed and laid without the approval of Corporation Council resolutions, approval from the District and State CRZ/ Management Authority and the prior approval and sanction of the Tamilnadu government.
Similar attempts made a few years back to form such illegal new roads and beach beautification proposals along the coastal stretches from Thiruvanmiyur up to Uthandi and within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits were stalled after judicial interventions / judgements of the Madras High Court.
