Eco-activists accuse govt of giving into realty lobby

‘Disastrous’ is the word activists invoke. Environmental activists are unable to digest the fact that Kottivakkam, Palavakkam and Neelangarai areas have been reclassified under CRZ II. “The last bits of protection are gone. The state has capitulated to the real estate lobby again,” said Nithyanand Jayaram, a noted ecoactivist in the city.
“Now, it will be a free-for-all. The livelihood of fisherfolk is at stake and the habitat of the Olive Ridley turtle is in danger,” he said. He was unable to understand, he said, why the government which wanted fishermen to move to Chemmancheri inland, was to open up the coast for “elite development”. The fishermen were either pushed away from the sea or pushed closer to the sea, he said.
“The government has legalised most of the illegal constructions in the three villages, originally comprising sand dunes and fishing hamlets,” says Sudarshan Rodriquez, founder-trustee, Dakshin Foundation, which specialises in coastal resource management.
According to the 1991 CRZ notification, there should not be any construction until 200 metres from the high tide line (HTL) and only the dwelling units of fisherfolk are permitted between 200 and 500 metres from the HTL. But constructions have come up all over. Activists say a map of the city’s coastal areas from 1991 will extent the level of illegal construction.
“By reclassifying the stretch to CRZ II, the government has given in to an influential lobby. It will be interesting to know what justification the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) gave to the Government of India for getting the reclassification,” Rodriquez said.
“It is going to be disastrous,” said Akila, co-ordinator, Students Sea Turtle Network (SSTN). Already, the lights from houses close to the coast, garbage, and sewage have led to deterioration of the beaches where the turtles nest. The network is already fighting against the proposed elevated highway which could be destructive to their habitat. “The reclassification is the last straw on the camel’s back,” Akila said.