Taking notice of a news report which highlighted illegal encroachments in the estuary near Kovalam, the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Wednesday directed the district authorities to take action immediately.
The report published in the New Indian Express on July 31 described attempts at illegal constructions, use of heavy machines and dumping of huge amount of debris by unknown persons in the ecologically-sensitive area.
While taking up the matter, the Bench, comprising its judicial member Justice P. Jyothimani and Prof. R. Nagendran, observed that preserving the estuary was very important and the causing of ecological imbalance in the coastal regulation zone should be prevented.
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Stating that encroachments should be stopped at any cost, they also granted an interim injunction against “any person from entering into any place from Muttukkadu backwaters to Kovalam until further orders.”
Top authorities of Central and State government were added as parties and issued notice to file their replies at the next hearing.
The Bench made it clear that the Kancheepuram district collector should effectively implement its order and file the status report on August 6.
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