The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT), Southern Bench, here has granted an interim injunction to Officers Training Academy (OTA), an Army training establishment at St. Thomas Mount against constructing any bridge across Adyar river.
A Bench comprising Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member P.S. Rao granted the interim stay after an application filed by C.K. Sreedharan of Manapakkam, who opposed the construction, alleging that it would affect the flow of water in the river and would eventually flood areas nearby. The Bench also directed authorities concerned to file a status report and further posted the matter for July 28.
The applicant claimed that the vicinity where his house was located at Manapakkam near the Adyar was flooded during the floods in November and December last year. Detailing the extent of damage to goods in his house during the floods, the applicant claimed that the situation was “seriously aggravated due to illegal construction” of two bridges and a road across the riverbed by OTA during September last year. Since the bridge connecting the two campuses of OTA collapsed during the floods late last year, the academy was attempting to reconstruct the bridge without necessary permission and the material for the construction was stored along the riverbed, he claimed.
Citing various sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, he said no person shall impede proper flow of water of a water body.
Mr. Sreedharan further sought for an interim injunction to stop construction of bridge or any construction in the river and its embankments and to further remove fallen girders and the debris from the river to ensure free water flow.
He also sought a direction to the authorities of the Public Works Department and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPSC) to take action against OTA under provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Petitioner opposed construction alleging that it would affect flow of water and flood nearby areas
