A number of projects belonging to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) and many private builders were found to have violated the Environmental Impact Assessment notification, 2006, forcing a directive from the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) that no consent to operate or occupancy certificate be issued till they are granted environmental clearance (EC).
In a meeting held last month, the EAC of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change found violations by real estate companies in Tamil Nadu.
The violations related mainly to beginning construction without obtaining the EC from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and consent to establish under the Air/Water Act.
Four projects
Primary among the violators is the TNSCB that began construction on four projects before getting the EC.
Its projects include 1,280 tenements in Keeranatham village, 1,440 slum tenements at Malumichampatti village and 960 slum tenements in Madukkarai village in Coimbatore district, and 1,024 slum tenements in Gudapakkam village.
The Tamil Nadu Housing Board too built 606 residential complex units in Padi village without obtaining the EC.
TNSCB officials told The Hindu they were not aware of the EAC directives. The EAC also found that many private builders started construction and some had made substantial progress without receiving the EC.
The projects by private builders are located in the villages of Thirumullaivoyal, Thiruverkadu, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, Perumbakkam, Pudupakkam around Chennai and in Uppilipalayam village, Coimbatore South taluk.
In one case, a private builder submitted an application for building additional units but went ahead with the construction before the EC was issued, which the EAC termed a “blatant violation” of the EIA notification. Almost all these projects were de-listed by the SEIAA at various periods of time.
Action ordered
The EAC has directed the State government or the State Pollution Control Board to take action against these project proponents under the provisions of Section 19 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and “further no consent to operate or occupancy certificate to be issued till the project is granted EC”. Without a certificate, a project can be demolished if it is classified as an unauthorised structure, while water, sanitary connection, or electricity supply can be disconnected.
The 11-member Committee also directed that terms of reference for an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and preparation of Environment Management Plan (EMP) along with a public hearing be undertaken for these projects. A bank guarantee has been sought from the project proponents, which will be released after the implementation of the EMP, “followed by recommendations of the EAC and approval of the regulatory authority.”
(With inputs from Aditi R.)
