RTI shows Tamil Nadu govt manipulation of maps

Chennai: An RTI reply from the Department of Environment, in regard to the ‘missing’ Ennore creek Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) map, obtained by an environmental organisation, Coastal Resource Centre in 2017 has exposed a major fraud.

The fraud was committed by none other than the state environment department, which has ‘manipulated’ the maps. There is no approval from Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), making the maps invalid.

The government entity has also permitted construction activities based on the fraudulent map, paving way to many industries at the creek and thus killing the biodiversity here. While the approved 1996 map clearly shows the existence of Ennore creek, saltpans and Kosasthalaiyar river, the new map, which is modified to the ‘interests’ of realtors and industries, has omitted ecological features here.

In simple words, the structures cropped up at Ennore after 1996 including the Vallur Thermal Power station’s ash pond, Hindustan Petroleum’s oil storage terminal, Kamarajar Port’s Chettinad International Coal terminal and Bharat Petroluem’s oil storage are ‘non permissible.’ The recent one awaiting to join the list is the Kamarajar Port’s proposal to convert 1,000 acres of creek to land, in order to support the operation of its 13 berths.

“According to the approved 1996 map, the locality comes under CRZ-1 under which no construction is allowed. However, they omitted water bodies in the new map, permitting construction activities with Environmental Clearance,” Pooja Kumar of the Coastal Resource Centre said.

Procedurally, it is mandatory for the State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA) to seek the approval of MoEFCC, before implementing it. Explaining the fraud, Pooja Kumar said, “MoEFCC has asked the coastal zone management authority to approach the national hydrographer’s office to get the demarcations and redefine the creek’s boundaries. But the RTI reply clearly states that they had neither approached the hydrographer nor submitted the maps to MoEFCC. Any map which is not approved by the Union Environment Ministry is illegal.”
Member secretary of Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority, Dr H. Malleshappa defended the allegations and stated the 1996 maps were revised and approved by the Union government in 1997.

Coastal Resource Centre, which took the matter to the notice of environment secretary, the State Disaster Management Authority and the chief secretary demands an independent enquiry.

What’s the issue?

An RTI reply from the Department of Environment, in regard to the ‘missing’ Ennore creek Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) map, obtained by  Coastal Resource Centre in 2017 has exposed a major fraud.