CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal gave the go-ahead to Indian Oil Corporation to set up a LPG terminal and import jetty in the coastal village of Puthuvype in Kerala.
However, its lone judicial member M.S. Nambiar laid down the condition that the Elankunnappuzha Grama Panchayat should implement recommendations made by the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT-Madras, to avoid erosion of the coast, in view of the large-scale erosion in Puthuvype.
“During the construction, the shore line configuration shall be closely monitored by the authorities including the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority,” Justice Nambiar said while disposing off the petition that sought cancellation of the environmental clearance given to the proposed project.
The ₹2,200-crore project is aimed at minimising the movement of bulk LPG tankers through the highways in Tamil Nadu.
An application was filed with the NGT by K.U. Radhakrishnan and K. S. Murali, of Puthuvype, seeking a stay on IOC from carrying out any work in the intertidal zone and between the High Tide Line (HTL) and 200 m of the HTL in Puthuvype Special Economic Zone.
During the course of the arguments, the applicants contended that the project was being carried out in the inter-tidal zone and in the area from the HTL to around 300 m from the HTL, against the condition stipulated in the environmental clearance that the project be situated between 200 m and 300 m from the HTL. They also opposed the construction of a wall that was stopping the waves.
The judicial member, in his order, said that the project fell within CRZ-1 and hence was a permissible activity.
“The applicants have a case that the due to the project the fishermen will lose access to the sea for fishing. The case of the Elankunnappuzha Grama Panchayat that sufficient access is provided to the north of the project site to enter the sea, which is proved by the undisputed facts depicted in the maps produced, it can only be held that the applicants are not entitled to challenge the project on that ground also,” the judicial member said.
