NGT Stops Construction at Pallikaranai Marsh to conserve the wetland Ecosystem in Chennai

National Green Tribunal imposes a Construction Mora at Pallikaranai Marsh.

This is a major move towards preserving the threatened ecosystem of Chennai in a move by the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) who suspended all developmental activities within one kilometre of the Pallikaranai Marshland. The directive shall continue to apply until a scientific research identifies the specific zone of influence by the marsh. This order comes on the heels of landfilling and construction within the Perumbakkam wetland that is directly related to the larger system of Pallikaranai.

Why Pallikaranai Matters
One of the very few natural wetlands remaining in Chennai, Pallikaranai Marsh has been declared a Ramsar Site in 2022. It is very important in flood management, ground water recharge and biodiversity protection. Its delicate balance has however been increasingly put at risk by uncontrolled urbanisation. The NGT observed that any disturbance around the marsh would increase floods in the surrounding regions and put the lives of people at risk.

Tribunal's Intervention
The bench was headed by Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana who took the suo motu action following media publicity of encroachments. The tribunal noted that Survey No. 286 in Perumbakkam village is only 246 metres away on the boundary of the marsh. Uncontrolled such activities may obstruct the natural water flow into the wetland and impact on the ecological processes of the wetland.

Stand of Developer vs Environmental Concerns.
The developer, M/s Grande City Development Company LLP, claimed that the site was under a Primary Residential Use Zone according to the master plan by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). They argued that, land levelling to survey purposes only had been done. The NGT, however, decided that land-use classification can never override environmental protection especially in sensitive wetlands.

Role of State Authorities
A one kilometer buffer zone around the marsh has already been proposed by Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority (TNSWA) following hydrological and topographical research. This zone will be formalised in the final Integrated Management Plan (IMP) which is undergoing revision and which will give formal guidelines on what may be done.

The Way Forward
The NGT has been prohibiting new approvals or construction around the marsh until the IMP is finalised and the marsh officially notified by the buffer zone. This bold action aims at protecting the ecological services of Pallikaranai, minimizing the risk of flood and supporting the urban development of Chennai.