CHENNAI: The AIADMK on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the Tamil Nadu government’s proposed offshore pen monument for late chief minister M Karunanidhi, alleging that the state government departments had given clearance quickly without due compliance with the laws and rules. The challenge, however, is limited to construction of the 134ft high statue offshore and not against construction elsewhere on land.
In his intervening application filed before the Supreme Court, former fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the fishermen of 34 hamlets along the coast of Chennai and Tiruvallur districts had been opposing the proposed Rs 81crore monument as fishing beyond the memorials on the Marina would be hit. “The data that has been used in the Environment Impact Assessment (report) is flawed. It says no fishing takes place near the coast, which is wrong. Also, rainfall data from 2000 has been relied upon. They have not taken into account the rainfall data of 2015 and thereafter,” the petition said.
It was only recently the expert appraisal committee of the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change had granted CRZ clearance for the construction of the pen pedestal, pedestrian pathway above sea, lattice bridge above beach and land, pedestrian pathway on the beach, and memorial to bridge through the beach, all fall under CRZ IA, II and IV-A classification.
The petition said there was enough space to install a pen monument within the memorial complex. The Tamil Nadu coast has some unique characteristics and the draft EIA report on the pen memorial failed to consider several factors. “The government departments had given clearance in a quick manner without due compliance with the laws and rules,” the petition argued. The Royapuram beach to Marina is at a distance of 4.3 nautical miles and the zone is very important for fishing. Royapuram has one of the largest fishing harbours, and has a population of 7.5 lakh, whose life and livelihood predominantly depend on fishing.
In his intervening application filed before the Supreme Court, former fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the fishermen of 34 hamlets along the coast of Chennai and Tiruvallur districts had been opposing the proposed Rs 81crore monument as fishing beyond the memorials on the Marina would be hit. “The data that has been used in the Environment Impact Assessment (report) is flawed. It says no fishing takes place near the coast, which is wrong. Also, rainfall data from 2000 has been relied upon. They have not taken into account the rainfall data of 2015 and thereafter,” the petition said.
It was only recently the expert appraisal committee of the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change had granted CRZ clearance for the construction of the pen pedestal, pedestrian pathway above sea, lattice bridge above beach and land, pedestrian pathway on the beach, and memorial to bridge through the beach, all fall under CRZ IA, II and IV-A classification.
The petition said there was enough space to install a pen monument within the memorial complex. The Tamil Nadu coast has some unique characteristics and the draft EIA report on the pen memorial failed to consider several factors. “The government departments had given clearance in a quick manner without due compliance with the laws and rules,” the petition argued. The Royapuram beach to Marina is at a distance of 4.3 nautical miles and the zone is very important for fishing. Royapuram has one of the largest fishing harbours, and has a population of 7.5 lakh, whose life and livelihood predominantly depend on fishing.
