Chennai: Food products co defies CRZ rules

Chennai: In a clear cut violation of coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) notification, a private food products company has begun unauthorised construction activities at an ecologically fragile region of Tiruvotttiyur, without the regulatory body’s clearance.

The private company, KTV health food private limited, has laid pipelines at Nalla Thanni Odai Kuppam of Tiruvottriyur to transfer edible oil from Chennai port to their plants at two localities.

Deccan Chronicle has verified the environment clearance status query from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, which indicates that clearance had not been issued to the food products company.

Setting up the pipelines can be witnessed at the eco-sensitive area, which falls under category 2, Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification under Environment Protection Act objecting any form of construction within 500 metres from the high tide line (HTL) without clearance from Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA.)

When DC contacted company officials, they said, “We have obtained permission from Chennai port, National Highways Authority of India and Chennai Fishing Harbour Management Committee to lay the pipelines. Obtaining permission from TNSCZMA is a time-taking process as we have to go through district and state level meetings which are not conducted frequently,” said a highly placed official of the company.

He also said the construction activity is permissible as per CRZ rules and that not effluents were being transported. The proposal, which seeks permission to install five storage tanks of capacity 1,720 KL, 1,442 KL, 1,281 KL, 855 KL and 7527 KL, was cleared by District Coastal Zone Management Authority.

However, it is also stated that clearance is pending from the ministry of environment, forests and climate change. According to the proposal, edible oil will be transferred from transit terminal to the storage terminals of the edible oil refinery units at Gummidipoondi (storage facility of 18,500MT) and Kodungaiyur refinery unit (storage capacity of 5,000 MT)

President of South India fishermen welfare association, K. Bharathi said  they had filed a complaint at Tiruvallur collectorate and TNSCZMA. “Using GPS, we found that the construction is happening at less than 68 metres from the high tide line,” he said. Sources in Tiruvallur collectorate and ministry of environment said they would look into the issue soon.

The director of environment said the complaint would be transferred to the district coastal zone management authority for the team to take necessary action.