PIL against power line over farm
Alternative route for projest was ignored
Chennai: The state government has filed a status report before the southern bench of the national green tribunal on a petition challenging the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited (TANTRANSCO) from laying 400 kv super high tension transmission lines from Pugalur village in Karur district to Ottiampakkam village, in Sholinganallur taluk, near Chennai.
When a PIL from K.G. Mohanaraman, former panchayat president of Kayar village, came up for hearing before the bench, comprising its judicial member, Justice M. Chockalingam, and expert member R. Nagendran, the counsel for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) submitted the status report on areas where the transmission line was passing through in Kayar and Vembedu villages.
Mohanaraman submitted that Tantransco had formulated a scheme to lay transmission line from Pugalur village to Ottiampakkam passing through agricultural land. He said the people in the villages were not aware of the proposal and it was being laid without permission for environment impact assessment.
Tantransco had laid the transmission line in government land up to Vembedu. It proceeded to set up concrete pit at private lands in Kayar villages.
He contended that even though alternative route was available for the proposed project, Tantransco planned to set up the line in arable land. This would destroy several acres of fertile land and affect the livelihood of over 1,000 farmers.
The grama sabha had passed resolutions seeking the government to consider the alternative route. The Kayar and Vembedu village panchayats had also raised objections and submitted memorandum to the Karur collector. As there was no response, Mohanaraman filed the petition to restrain the TNPCB, Tantransco and collector from setting up the transmission line in the villages.
Based on the direction of the tribunal, the TNPCB counsel filed the status report relating to areas where the transmission line crosses Kayar and Vembedu. Following this, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to October 9.