Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee clears Kalaignar pen monument project in Bay of Bengal

The Expert Appraisal Committee lays down 15 conditions. The CRZ clearance is also subject to the final order of the National Green Tribunal, southern zone

Screengrab from a video shows the proposed Kalaignar Pen Monument. Photo: Special Arrangement

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended the proposal to construct Muthamizh Arignar Dr. Kalaignar pen monument in the Bay of Bengal, off the Marina beach, for coastal zone clearance with nearly 15 conditions.

The meeting of the 12-member committee took place on April 17. The Public Works Department had proposed the pen monument of 30-metre height and it would be spread over nearly 8,551 square metres. The length of the bridge would be 290 metres over the land and 360 metres over the sea and it would be 7 metres wide.

With the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Management Authority giving its approval with a few recommendations, the ₹81-crore proposal was sent to the Union Ministry after the norms were complied with earlier this month.

The EAC has noted that the National Centre for Coastal Research must monitor erosion and sand accretion and a no objection certificate must be sought from INS Adyar, which is 800 metre away from the project site. It has also said the PWD, which would be the project proponent, would have to adhere to court directions in the future. The committee was earlier informed that no stay or directions were given by any court so far.

It has also clarified that if any piece of the information is found to be false or misleading, the project would be rejected and the CRZ clearance would be revoked.

The EAC has mandated that the number of visitors be maintained at any given time as stated in the crowd management plan and groundwater not be extracted within the CRZ area for construction. Moreover, construction should not be carried out during the turtle nesting season and the road connectivity, traffic management plan and emergency evacuation plan must be implemented as submitted.

The CRZ clearance is also subject to the final order of the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, the EAC said.

Earlier, the PWD said in its proposal that it had addressed some of the major concerns raised at the public hearing. Steps would be taken to minimise the impact on ecology. The project would not affect fishermen’s livelihood as vessels could operate beyond the bridge region and pillars with large spans of 16 metres would be built for free movement of water and marine organisms.

Now that the approval has been granted, the PWD would prepare a detailed project report, officials said.