Chennai: The four-lane project of East Coast Road, which was stalled following a stay by the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal, received a nod on Monday.
The green bench dismissed the case stating that Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance (CRZ) and Environmental Clearance (EC) are not required for the project. The main respondent, Tamil Nadu Road Development Authority (TNRDA), is free to carry out works at the section between Akkarai and Koonimedu near Puducherry, said the counsel for respondent, Abdul Saleem.
Directing the state road development authority to plant indigenous tree varieties suitable to the locality, the bench comprising Justice M. S. Nambiar and expert member P.S. Rao asked the authority to “complete planting within two months and submit the status of 51 trees, which were already transplanted.”
TNRDA has sought a prior clearance from Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority. However, drawing inference from an earlier Madras High Court order, which mandated the state government to obtain Environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFFC) for works in Coastal Regulatory Zone areas, the counsel for applicant said, “TNRDA has violated the CRZ notification 2011 and Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2006, according to which is just a recommendatory body and cannot grant clearance.”
Meanwhile, the counsel for respondent, Abdul Saleem argued before the tribunal that the Environmental Clearance or the coastal clearances are not required as it is not a new road. “The project is important to avoid road deaths on the stretch. It is only widening of a tar road within the existing right of way,” he said.
After hearing arguments of both sides, the bench dismissed the case, even while passing certain directions. “Noise barriers should be provided at appropriate locations especially in areas where noise levels exceed the permissible limit,” the bench said.
