The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Commissioner of Land Administration, District Collector, Forest Department and Survey and Settlement Department to conduct a detailed survey and take steps to ascertain the original extent of the Pallikaranai marshy land. Remove the encroachments as per the directions issued by the Madras High Court.
The bench directed the officials to ascertain the original extent of the marshy land as per the revenue records of the pre-independence era.
The bench also directed the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board not to discharge untreated sewage into the Pallikaranai marshland or to undertake any activity to encroach on the water body and pollute the water in the marshland.
The bench asked the corporation to consider handing over the Perungudi dump to the forest department to restore it to its original condition by adopting bio-mining.
The NGT also asked the Chief Secretary to appoint a high-level committee to evaluate the survey conducted and prepare an action plan to protect the marshy lands, identify encroachments, remove them and protect the area under the Wetlands (Protection and Management) Rules, 2017 or under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Madras Forest Act and transferred to the concerned authority for future protection and management and implementation of the action plan.
“Once the land is reclaimed and handed over to the forest department, the department has to take steps to protect it from encroachment and pollution and develop it as an eco or biodiversity park and make it a good one. A bird sanctuary is directed to be created,” the bench said.
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