The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has directed authorities and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to ascertain whether a plot of land in Somasundaram Nagar, Arakkonam, in which a sewage storage tank and pumping station have been constructed, is a park or not.
The direction came based on an application filed in 2017 that claimed the land was a park and had sought a stay on the project. However, the Madras High Court had given the go-ahead for the project after a committee carried out an inspection and submitted its report.
It was submitted before the Tribunal that 70% of the civil work has been completed and 65% of construction of the Sewage Treatment Plant was also over. “It is further mentioned that the scheme could not be changed and it will not cause any harm and hazard to the public. No pollution will be caused and this is done in public interest and to protect the environment,” the authorities submitted before the Tribunal.
The Tribunal was further informed that the Chief Minister had inaugurated the project on October 31, 2019 and that two other writ petitions were pending before the High Court in this matter but were yet to be taken up. Counsel for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board sought time to ascertain the present status of the project.
Following this, the bench of Justice K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta directed the authorities and TNPCB to ascertain whether the land was a park as contended by the applicant, the commissioning of the project in that area was satisfactory and if it causes any pollution as apprehended by the applicant.