750 unauthorised buildings violating CRZ under scanner

CHENNAI: More than 750 unauthorised constructions, built in gross violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) along the ECR, are under the scanner as Madras High Court has directed Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority, along with collector of Chengalpet district, revenue officials as well as Mahabalipuram Local Authority with full police aid, to carry out survey and inspection of buildings and file a status report.

A bench comprising HC judges M Sathyanarayanan and R Hemalatha has directed that besides the survey, inspection of unauthorised buildings, houses, bungalows on the seaside or front, which fall under CRZ-III and coastal regulation Zone-II ‘No Development Zone’ from Uthandi to Mahabali, should be carried out and a status report filed on how many unauthorised or deviated constructions exist. Since the owners of the buildings have stated that their planning permission was approved by local body, the court has sought the names of the elected representative, officials, who had accorded such permission or passed the resolution and this should be submitted to the court in the form of affidavit by Municipal Administration and Water Supply Secretary and Rural development secretary.  

This comes as Greater Chennai Corporation has filed a status report that classification of coastal zone has been changed from CRZ-III to CRZ-II  (during 2018) for most of the lands in Injambakkam, Sholinganallur and Uthandi wherein buildings were permitted on the landward side of the existing road prior to 1991, and 798 buildings was issued notices. These buildings were later considered to have been classified under CRZ-II, falling under 0 to 200m from the high tide line, the status report filed by Chennai corporation said. The court has also directed GCC to file a final status report as to what action was taken after it issued notices calling for approved plans and also for locking, sealing demolition. 

The court has also directed the Housing and Urban Development department to file an affidavit as to the appeals entertained in respect of the unauthorised or deviated constructions under CRZ-III and CRZ-II, ‘No development’ zone and the status of the appeals whether it is numbered, entertained and any interim orders are in operation and the time taken to give disposal to statutory revision. The court directed corporation to put a foolproof monitoring mechanism and file a status report and adjourned the hearing to April 2, 2020.

Factfile

•  The local bodies don’t have power to grant planning permission in CRZ zone
•  CMDA had set up a review team to monitor approvals given by local bodies
•  The nip in bud enforcement scheme was launched by CMDA to curb such unauthorised constructions