The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, has restrained the authorities concerned from constructing a public toilet in Kottivakkam beach without mandatory consent.
The Bench passed the interim order on an application filed by K. Jayakantham who sought to restrain the authorities, including the Chennai Corporation, from proceeding with the construction.
Ms. Jayakantham submitted that the Chennai Corporation had not obtained consent from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). She wrote a letter calling upon the State government authorities to stop the illegal polluting activities by Chennai Corporation at coastal regulation zone at Kottivakkam Beach with immediate effect. As there was no response, she preferred the present application before the NGT.
She said the authorities had not considered the potential environmental and health hazards posed by the construction of a septic tank system close to the sea.
